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ENGINEERING    LIBRARY 
OF 

WILLIAM   B.   STOREY 

A   GRADUATE   OF 

THE    COLLEGE    OF    MECHANICS 
CLASS   OF  1881 

PRESENTED  TO  THE   UNIVERSITY 
1922 


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THE   NEW  YORK 
SUBWAY 


OPERATING     ROOM     OK     I'tiWKK     n 


INTERBOROUGH 
RAPID     TRANSIT 

The  New  York  Subway 

ITS    CONSTRUCTION    AND    EQUIPMENT 


NEW    YORK 

INTERBOROUGH    RAPID    TRANSIT    COMPANY 

ANN0  DOM!  MCMIV 


COPYRIGHT,    1904,   BY 

INTERBOROUGH   RAPID  TRANSIT  CO. 
NEW  YORK 


PLANNED  AND  EXRCI'THD  nv  THR 

McGRAW    I'lHI.l^lltMi    Co. 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


CONSTRUCTION  AND  EQUIP 


TABLE    OF    CONTENTS 

PAGE  No. 

INTRODUCTION, 13 

CHAPTER  I.  THE  ROUTE  OF  THE   ROAD;   PASSENGER  STATIONS  AND  TRACKS,       ....     23 

CHAPTER  II.  TYPES  AND   METHODS  OF  CONSTRUCTION, 37 

CHAPTER  III.  POWER   HOUSE   BUILDING, 67 

CHAPTER  IV.  POWER  PLANT  FROM  COAL  PILE  TO  SHAFTS  OF  ENGINES  AND  TURBINES,  .     .     77 

CHAPTER  V.  SYSTEM  OF  ELECTRICAL  SUPPLY, 91 

CHAPTER  VI.  ELECTRICAL  EQUIPMENT   OF  CARS, 117 

CHAPTER  VII.  LIGHTING  SYSTEM   FOR  PASSENGER  STATIONS  AND  TUNNEL, 121 

CHAPTER  VIII.  ROLLING  STOCK  —  CARS,  TRUCKS,  ETC., 125 

CHAPTER  IX.  SIGNAL  SYSTEM, 135 

CHAPTER  X.  SUBWAY  DRAINAGE, 145 

CHAPTER  XI.  REPAIR  AND  INSPECTION  SHED, 147 

CHAPTER  XII.  SUB-CONTRACTORS, 10 

50I7G.1 


INTERBOROUGH      RAPID     TRANSIT     COMPANY 

Directors 

AUGUST  BELMONT  JOHN  B.  MCDONALD  WILLIAM  A.  READ 

E.  P.  BRYAN  WALTER  G.  OAKMAN  ALFRED  SKITT 

ANDREW  FREEDMAN  JOHN  PEIRCE  CORNELIUS  VANDERBILT 

JAMES  JOURDAN  MORTON  F.  PLANT  GEORGE  W.  YOUNG 
GARDINER  M.  LANE 

Executive  Committee 

AUGUST  BELMONT  JAMES   JOURDAN  WILLIAM  A.  READ 

ANDREW  FREEDMAN  WALTER  G.  OAKMAN  CORNELIUS  VANDERBILT 

Officers 

AUGUST  BELMONT,  PRESIDENT 

E.  P.  BRYAN,  VICE-PRESIDENT  H.  M.  FISHER,  SECRETARY  D.  W.  McWiLLiAMS,  TREASURER 

E.  F.  J.  GAYNOR,  AUDITOR  FRANK  HEDLEY,  GENERAL  SUPERINTENDENT 

S.  L.  F.  DEYO,  CHIEF  ENGINEER  GEORGE    W.  WICKERSHAM,  GENERAL  COUNSEL 

CHAS.  A.  GARDINER,  GENERAL  ATTORNEY  DELANCEY  NICOLL,  ASSOCIATE  COUNSEL 

ALFRED  A.  GARDNER,  ASSOCIATE  COUNSEL 

Engineering  Staff 

S.  L.  F.  Deyo,  Chief  Engineer. 

Electrical    Equipment 

L.  B.  Stillwell,  Electrical  Director.  H.  N.  Latey,  Principal  Assistant. 

Frederick   R.  Slater,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Third  Rail  Construction. 
Albert  F.   Parks,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Lighting. 
George  G.  Raymond,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Conduits  and  Cables. 
William   B.  Flynn,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Draughting  Room. 

Mechanical  and  Architectural 

J.  Van  Vleck,  Mechanical  and  Construction  Engineer.  William  N.  Stevens,  Ass't  Mechanical  Engineer. 

William  C.  Phelps,  Assistant  Construction  Engineer.  Paul  C.  Hunter,  Architectural  Assistant. 

Geo.  E.  Thomas,  Supervising  Engineer  in  Field. 

Cars  and  Signal  System 

George  Gibbs,  Consulting  Engineer.  Watson  T.  Thompson,  Master  Mechanic. 

J.  N.  Waldron,  Signal   Engineer. 


RAPID    TRANSIT    SUBWAY    CONSTRUCTION    COMPANY 

Directors 

AUGUST   BELMONT  WALTHER   LUTTGEN  MORTON   F.  PLANT 

E.   P.   BRYAN  JOHN   B.  MCDONALD  WILLIAM  A.  READ 

ANDREW   FREEDMAN  WALTER  G.  OAKMAN  CORNELIUS  VANDERBILT 

JAMES  JOURDAN-  JOHN  PEIRCE  GEORGE  W.  YOUNG 
GARDINER    M.  LANE 

Executive  Committee 

AUGUST   BELMONT  JAMES  JOURDAN  WILLIAM  A.  READ 

ANDREW   FREEDMAN  WALTER  G.  OAKMAN  CORNELIUS  VANDERBILT 

Officers 

AUGUST   BELMONT,   PRESIDENT 

WALTER  G.  OAKMAN,  VICE-PRESIDENT  JOHN   B.  MCDONALD,  CONTRACTOR 

H.  M.  FISHER,  SECRETARY  JOHN   F.  BUCK,  TREASURER  E.  F.  J.  GAYNOR,  AUDITOR 

S.  L.  F.  DEYO,  CHIEF  ENGINEER          GEORGE  W.  WICKERSHAM,  GENERAL  COUNSEL 

ALFRED  A.  GARDNER,  ATTORNEY 


Engineering  Staff 


S.  L.  F.  Deyo,  Chief  Engineer.  H.  T.  Douglas,  Principal  Assistant  Engineer. 

A.  Edward  Olmsted,  Division  Engineer,  Manhattan-Bronx  Lines. 
Henry   B.  Reed,  Division  Engineer,  Brooklyn  Extension. 
Theodore  Paschke,  Resident  Engineer,  First  Division,  City  Hall  to  jjd  Street,  also   Brooklyn  Extension, 

City  Hall  to  Bowling  Green  ;  and  Robert  S.  Fowler,  Assistant. 
Ernest  C.  Moore,  Resident  Engineer,  Second  Division,  33d  Street  to  iO4th  Street;  and  Stanley  Raymond, 

Assistant. 
William  C.  Merryman,  Resident  Engineer,  Third  Division,  Underground  Work,  iO4th  Street  to  Fort  George 

West   Side   and    Westchester  Avenue    East   Side ;  and  William    B.  Leonard,  W.   A.    Morton,  and 

William   E.  Morris,  Jr.,  Assistants. 
Allan    A.    Robbins   and   Justin    Burns,    Resident    Engineers,    Fourth    Division,  Viaducts  ;    and    George    I. 

Oakley,  Assistant. 
Frank    D.    Leffingwell,    Resident    Engineer,    East    River    Tunnel     Division,    Brooklyn     Extension ;    and 

C.  D.  Drew,  Assistant. 
Percy  Litchfield,  Resident  Engineer,  Fifth  Division,  Brooklyn  Extension,  Borough   Hall  to  Prospect  Park  ; 

and  Edward   R.  Eichner,  Assistant. 

M.  C.  Hamilton,  Engineer,  Maintenance  of  Way  ;  and  Robert  E.  Brandeis,  Assistant. 
D.  L.  Turner,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Stations. 
A.  Samuel    Berquist,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Steel  Erection. 
William  J.  Boucher,  Assistant  Engineer  in  charge  of  Draughting  Rooms. 


• 


INTRODUCTION 

completion  of  the  rapid  transit  railroad  in  the  boroughs  of  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx, 
which  is  popularly  known  as  the  "  Subway,"  has  demonstrated  that  underground  railroads  can  be 
built  beneath  the  congested  streets  of  the  city,  and  has  made  possible  in  the  near  future  a  compre- 
hensive system  of  subsurface  transportation  extending  throughout  the  wide  territory  of  Greater  New  York. 

In  March,  1900,  when  the  Mayor  with  appropriate  ceremonies  broke  ground  at  the  Borough  Hall, 
in  Manhattan,  for  the  new  road,  there  were  many  well-informed  people,  including  prominent  financiers 
and  experienced  engineers,  who  freely  p'rophesied  failure  for  the  enterprise,  although  the  contract  had  been 
taken  by  a  most  capable  contractor,  and  one  of  the  best  known  banking  houses  in  America  had  com- 
mitted itself  to  finance  the  undertaking. 

In  looking  at  the  finished  road  as  a  completed  work,  one  is  apt  to  wonder  why  it  ever  seemed 
impossible  and  to  forget  the  difficulties  which  confronted  the  builders  at  the  start. 

The  railway  was  to  be  owned  by  the  city,  and  built  and  operated  under  legislation  unique  in  the 
history  of  municipal  governments,  complicated,  and  minute  in  provisions  for  the  occupation  of  the  city 
streets,  payment  of  moneys  by  the  city,  and  city  supervision  over  construction  and  operation.  Questions 
as  to  the  interpretation  of  these  provisions  might  have  to  be  passed  upon  by  the  courts,  with  delays,  how 
serious  none  could  foretell,  especially  in  New  York  where  the  crowded  calendars  retard  speedy  decisions. 
The  experience  of  the  elevated  railroad  corporations  in  building  their  lines  had  shown  the  uncertainty  of 
depending  upon  legal  precedents.  It  was  not,  at  that  time,  supposed  that  the  abutting  property  owners 
would  have  any  legal  ground  for  complaint  against  the  elevated  structures,  but  the  courts  found  new  laws 
for  new  conditions  and  spelled  out  new  property  rights  of  light,  air,  and  access,  which  were  made  the 
basis  for  a  volume  of  litigation  unprecedented  in  the  courts  of  any  country. 

An  underground  railroad  was  a  new  condition.  None  could  say  that  the  abutting  property  owners 
might  not  find  rights  substantial  enough,  at  least,  to  entitle  them  to  their  day  in  court,  a  day  which,  in 
this  State,  might  stretch  into  many  months,  or  even  several  years.  Owing  to  the  magnitude  of  the  work, 
delay  might  easily  result  in  failure.  An  eminent  judge  of  the  New  York  Supreme  Court  had  emphasized 


PAGE   I4INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


the  uncertainties  of  the  situation  in  the  following  language:  "Just  what  are  the  rights  of  the  owners  of 
property  abutting  upon  a  street  or  avenue,  the  fee  in  and  to  the  soil  underneath  the  surface  of  which  has 
been  acquired  by  the  city  of  New  York,  so  far  as  the  same  is  not  required  for  the  ordinary  city  uses  of 
gas  or  water  pipes,  or  others  of  a  like  character,  has  never  been  finally  determined.  We  have  now  the 
example  of  the  elevated  railroad,  constructed  and  operated  in  the  city  of  New  York  under  legislative  ami 
municipal  authority  for  nearly  twenty  years,  which  has  been  compelled  to  pay  many  millions  of  dollars  to 
abutting  property  owners  for  the  easement  in  the  public  streets  appropriated  by  the  construction  and 
maintenance  of  the  road,  and  still  the  amount  that  the  road  will  have  to  pay  is  not  ascertained.  What 
liabilities  will  be  imposed  upon  the  city  under  this  contract;  what  injury  the  construction  and  operation  of 
this  road  will  cause  to  abutting  property,  and  what  easements  and  rights  will  have  to  be  acquired  before 
the  road  can  be  legally  constructed  and  operated,  it  is  impossible  now  to  ascertain." 

It  is  true,  that  the  city  undertook  "to  secure  to  the  contractor  the  right  to  construct  and  operate,  free 
from  all  rights,  claims,  or  other  interference,  whether  by  injunction,  suit  for  damages,  or  otherwise  on  the 
part  of  any  abutting  owner  or  other  person."  But  another  eminent  judge  of  the  same  court  had  charac- 
terized this  as  "a  condition  absolutely  impossible  of  fulfillment,"  and  had  said:  "How  is  the  city  to 
prevent  interference  with  the  work  by  injunction?  That  question  lies  with  the  courts;  and  not  with  the 
courts  of  this  State  alone,  for  there  are  cases  without  doubt  in  which  the  courts  of  the  United  States 
would  have  jurisdiction  to  act,  and  when  such  jurisdiction  exists  they  have  not  hitherto  shown  much 

reluctance  in  acting That  legal  proceedings  will  be  undertaken  which  will,  to  some  extent  at 

least,  interfere  with  the  progress  of  this  work  seems  to  be  inevitable " 

Another  difficulty  was  that  the  Constitution  of  the  State  of  New  York  limited  the  debt-incurring  power 
of  the  city.  The  capacity  of  the  city  to  undertake  the  work  had  been  much  discussed  in  the  courts,  and 
the  Supreme  Court  of  the  State  had  disposed  of  that  phase  of  the  situation  by  suggesting  that  it  did  not 
make  much  difference  to  the  municipality  whether  or  not  the  debt  limit  permitted  a  contract  for  the  work, 
because  if  the  limit  should  be  exceeded,  "no  liability  could  possibly  be  imposed  upon  the  city,"  a  view 
which  might  comfort  the  timid  taxpayers  but  could  hardly  be  expected  to  give  confidence  to  the  capitalists 
who  might  undertake  the  execution  of  the  contract. 

Various  corporations,  organized  during  the  thirty  odd  years  of  unsuccessful  attempts  by  the  city  to 
secure  underground  rapid  transit,  claimed  that  their  franchises  gave  them  vested  rights  in  the  streets  to  the 
exclusion  of  the  new  enterprise,  and  they  were  prepared  to  assert  their  rights  in  the  courts.  (The  Under- 
ground Railroad  Company  of  the  City  of  New  York  sought  to  enjoin  the  building  of  the  road  and  carried 
their  contest  to  the  Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States  which  did  not  finally  decide  the  questions  raised 
until  March,  1904,  when  the  subway  was  practically  complete.) 

Rival  transportation  companies  stood  ready  to  obstruct  the  work  and  encourage  whomever  might  find 
objection  to  the  building  of  the  road. 

New  York  has  biennial  elections.  The  road  could  not  be  completed  in  two  years,  and  the  attitude  of 
one  administration  might  not  be  the  attitude  of  its  successors. 

The  engineering  difficulties  were  well-nigh  appalling.  Towering  buildings  along  the  streets  had  to  be 
considered,  and  the  streets  themselves  were  already  occupied  with  a  complicated  network  of  subsurface 
structures,  such  as  sewers,  water  and  gas  mains,  electric  cable  conduits,  electric  surface  railway  conduits, 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE 


THE       S  U  B  W  A Y 


telegraph  and  power  conduits,  and  many  vaults  extending  out  under  the  streets,  occupied  by  the  abutting 
property  owners.  On  the  surface  were  street  railway  lines  carrying  a  very  heavy  traffic  night  and  day,  and 
all  the  thoroughfares  in  the  lower  part  of  the  city  were  congested  with  vehicular  traffic. 

Finally,  the  city  was  unwilling  to  take  any  risk,  and  demanded  millions  of  dollars  of  security  to  insure 
the  completion  of  the  road  according  to  the  contract,  the  terms  of  which  were  most  exacting  down  to 
the  smallest  detail. 

The  builders  of  the  road  did  not  underestimate  the  magnitude  of  the  task  before  them.  They  retained 
the  most  experienced  experts  for  every  part  of  the  work  and,  perfecting  an  organization  in  an  incredibly 
short  time,  proceeded  to  surmount  and  sweep  aside  difficulties.  The  result  is  one  of  which  every  citizen  of 
New  York  may  feel  proud.  Upon  the  completion  of  the  road  the  city  will  own  the  best  constructed  and 
best  equipped  intraurban  rapid  transit  railroad  in  the  world.  The  efforts  of  the  builders  have  not  been 
limited  by  the  strict  terms  of  the  contract.  They  have  striven,  not  to  equal  the  best  devices,  but  to 
improve  upon  the  best  devices  used  in  modern  electrical  railroading,  to  secure  for  the  traveling  public 
safety,  comfort,  and  speedy  transportation. 

The  road  is  off  the  surface  and  escapes  the  delays  incident  to  congested  city  streets,  but  near  the  surface 
and  accessible,  light,  dry,  clean,  and  well  ventilated.  The  stations  and  approaches  are  commodious,  and  the 
stations  themselves  furnish  conveniences  to  passengers  heretofore  not  heard  of  on  intraurban  lines.  There 
is  a  separate  express  service,  with  its  own  tracks,  and  the  stations  are  so  arranged  that  passengers  may  pass 
from  local  trains  to  express  trains,  and  vice  versa,  without  delay  and  without  payment  of  additional  fare. 
Special  precautions  have  been  taken  and  devices  adopted  to  prevent  a  failure  of  the  electric  power  and  the 
consequent  delays  of  traffic.  An  electro  pneumatic  block  signal  system  has  been  devised,  which  excels  any 
system  heretofore  used  and  is  unique  in  its  mechanism.  The  third  rail  for  conveying  the  electric  current  is 
covered,  so  as  to  prevent  injury  to  passengers  and  employees  from  contact.  Special  emergency  and  fire 
alarm  signal  systems  are  installed  throughout  the  length  of  the  road.  At  a  few  stations,  where  the  road  is 
not  near  the  surface,  improved  escalators  and  elevators  are  provided.  The  cars  have  been  designed  to  pre- 
vent danger  from  fire,  and  improved  types  of  motors  have  been  adopted,  capable  of  supplying  great  speed 
combined  with  complete  control.  Strength,  utility,  and  convenience  have  not  alone  been  considered,  but 
all  parts  of  the  railroad  structures  and  equipment,  stations,  power  house,  and  electrical  sub-stations  have  been 
designed  and  constructed  with  a  view  to  the  beauty  of  their  appearance,  as  well  as  to  their  efficiency. 

The  completion  of  the  subway  marks  the  solution  of  a  problem  which  for  over  thirty  years  baffled  the 
people  of  New  York  City,  in  spite  of  the  best  efforts  of  many  of  its  foremost  citizens.  An  extended 
account  of  Rapid  Transit  Legislation  would  be  out  of  place  here,  but  a  brief  glance  at  the  history  of  the 
Act  under  the  authority  of  which  the  subway  has  been  built  is  necessary  to  a  clear  understanding  of  the 
work  which  has  been  accomplished.  From  1850  to  1865  the  street  surface  horse  railways  were  sufficient  for 
the  requirements  of  the  traveling  public.  As  the  city  grew  rapidly,  the  congestion  spreading  northward,  to 
and  beyond  the  Harlem  River,  the  service  of  surface  roads  became  entirely  inadequate.  As  early  as  1868, 
forty-two  well  known  business  men  of  the  city  became,  by  special  legislative  Act,  incorporators  of  the  New 
York  City  Central  Underground  Railway  Company,  to  build  a  line  from  the  City  Hall  to  the  Harlem  River. 
The  names  of  the  incorporators  evidenced  the  seriousness  of  the  attempt,  but  nothing  came  of  it.  In  1872, 
also  by  special  Act,  Cornelius  Vanderbilt  and  others  were  incorporated  as  The  New  York  City  Rapid  Tran- 


PAGE  16    INTERS  OROUGH          RAPID          T   R  A  N  S   I   T 


THE       S  U  B  \\    \  Y 


sit  Company,  to  build  an  underground  road  from  the  City  Hall  to  connect  with  the  New  York  c\  liar 
lem  Road  at  59th  Street,  with  a  branch  to  the  tracks  of  the  New  York  Central  Road.  The  enterprise  was 
soon  abandoned.  Numerous  companies  were  incorporated  in  the  succeeding  years  under  the  general  railroad 
laws,  to  build  underground  roads,  but  without  results;  among  them  the  Central  Tunnel  Railway  Company 
in  1 88 1,  The  New  York  &  New  Jersey  Tunnel  Railway  Company  in  1883,  The  Terminal  Underground 
Railway  Company  in  1886,  The  Underground  Railroad  Company  of  the  City  of  New  York  (a  consolida- 
tion of  the  last  two  companies)  in  1896,  and  The  Rapid  Transit  Underground  Railroad  Company  in  iSy-. 

All  attempts  to  build  a  road  under  the  early  special  charter  and  later  under  the  general  laws  having 
failed,  the  city  secured  in  1891  the  passage  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Act  under  which,  as  amended,  the  subway 
has  been  built.  As  originally  passed  it  did  not  provide  for  municipal  ownership.  It  provided  that  a  board 
of  five  rapid  transit  railroad  commissioners  might  adopt  routes  and  general  plans  for  a  railroad,  obtain  the 
consents  of  the  local  authorities  and  abutting  property  owners,  or  in  lieu  of  the  consents  of  the  property 
owners  the  approval  of  the  Supreme  Court;  and  then,  having  adopted  detail  plans  for  the  construction  and 
operation,  might  sell  at  public  sale  the  right  to  build  and  operate  the  road  to  a  corporation,  whose  powers  and 
duties  were  defined  in  the  Act,  for  such  period  of  time  and  on  such  terms  as  they  could.  The  Commis- 
sioners prepared  plans  and  obtained  the  consents  of  the  local  authorities.  The  property  owners  refused 
their  consent;  the  Supreme  Court  gave  its  approval  in  lieu  thereof,  but  upon  inviting  bids  the  Board  of 
Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  found  no  responsible  bidder. 

The  late  Hon.  Abram  S.  Hewitt,  as  early  as  1884,  when  legislation  for  underground  roads  was  under 
discussion,  had  urged  municipal  ownership.  Speaking  in  1901,  he  said  of  his  efforts  in  1884  : 

"  It  was  evident  to  me  that  underground  rapid  transit  could  not  be  secured  by  the  investment  of  private 
capital,  but  in  some  way  or  other  its  construction  was  dependent  upon  the  use  of  the  credit  of  the  City  of 
New  York.  It  was  also  apparent  to  me  that  if  such  credit  were  used,  the  property  must  belong  to  the  city. 
Inasmuch  as  it  would  not  be  safe  for  the  city  to  undertake  the  construction  itself,  the  intervention  of  a 
contracting  company  appeared  indispensable.  To  secure  the  city  against  loss,  this  company  must  necessarily 
be  required  to  give  a  sufficient  bond  for  the  completion  of  the  work  and  be  willing  to  enter  into  a  contract 
for  its  continued  operation  under  a  rental  which  would  pay  the  interest  upon  the  bonds  issued  by  the  city 
for  the  construction,  and  provide  a  sinking  fund  sufficient  for  the  payment  of  the  bonds  at  or  before  maturity. 
It  also  seemed  to  be  indispensable  that  the  leasing  company  should  invest  in  the  rolling  stock  and  in  the  real 
estate  required  for  its  power  houses  and  other  buildings  an  amount  of  money  sufficiently  large  to  indemnify 
the  city  against  loss  in  case  the  lessees  should  fail  in  their  undertaking  to  build  and  operate  the  railroad." 

Mr.  Hewitt  became  Mayor  of  the  city  in  1887,  and  his  views  were  presented  in  the  form  of  a  Bill  to 
the  Legislature  in  the  following  year.  The  measure  found  practically  no  support.  Six  years  later,  after  the 
Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  had  failed  under  the  Act  of  1891,  as  originally  drawn,  to  obtain  bidders  tor 
the  franchise,  the  New  York  Chamber  of  Commerce  undertook  to  solve  the  problem  by  reverting  to  Mr. 
Hewitt's  idea  of  municipal  ownership.  Whether  or  not  municipal  ownership  would  meet  the  approval  of 
the  citizens  of  New  York  could  not  be  determined;  therefore,  as  a  preliminary  step,  it  was  decided  to  submit 
the  question  to  a  popular  vote.  An  amendment  to  the  Act  of  1891  was  drawn  (Chapter  752  of  the  Laws 
of  1894)  which  provided  that  the  qualified  electors  of  the  city  were  to  decide  at  an  annual  election,  by 
ballot,  whether  the  rapid  transit  railway  or  railways  should  be  constructed  by  the  city  and  at  the  public's 
expense,  and  be  operated  under  lease  from  the  city,  or  should  be  constructed  by  a  private  corporation  under 
a  franchise  to  be  sold  in  the  manner  attempted  unsuccessfully,  under  the  Act  of  1891,  as  originally  passed. 


INT   KR   BOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE   17 


THE       SUBWAY 


At  the  fall  election  of  1894,  the  electors  of  the  city,  by  a  very  large  vote,  declared  against  the  sale  of  a 
franchise  to  a  private  corporation  and  in  favor  of  ownership  by  the  city.  Several  other  amendments,  the 
necessity  for  which  developed  as  plans  for  the  railway  were  worked  out,  were  made  up  to  and  including  the 
session  of  the  Legislature  of  1900,  but  the  general  scheme  for  rapid  transit  may  be  said  to  have  becorrie 
fixed  when  the  electors  declared  in  favor  of  municipal  ownership.  The  main  provisions  of  the  legislation 
which  stood  upon  the  statute  books  as  the  Rapid  Transit  Act,  when  the  contract  was  finally  executed,  Feb- 
ruary 21,  1900,  may  be  briefly  summarized  as  follows: 

(a)  The  Act  was  general  in  terms,  applying  to  all  cities  in  the  State  having  a  population  of  over  one 
million  ;  it  was  special  in  effect  because  New  York  was  the  only  city  having  such  a  population.      It  did  not 
limit  the  Rapid  Transit  Commissioners  to  the  building  of  a  single  road,  but  authorized  the  laying  out  of 
successive  roads  or  extensions. 

(b)  A  Board  was  created  consisting  of  the  Mayor,  Comptroller,  or  other  chief  financial  officer  of  the 
city  ;  the  president  of  the    Chamber  of  Commerce  of  the   State  of  New  York,  by  virtue  of  his  office,  and 
five  members  named  in  the  Act:    William  Steinway,  Seth  Low,  John  Claflin,  Alexander  E.  Orr,  and  John  H. 
Starin,  men  distinguished  for  their   business   experience,  high  integrity,  and  civic  pride.      Vacancies  in  the 
Board  were  to  be  filled  by  the  Board  itself,  a  guaranty  of  a  continued  uniform  policy. 

(f)  The  Board  was  to  prepare  general  routes  and  plans  and  submit  the  question  of  municipal  owner- 
ship to  the  electors  of  the  city. 

(d)  The  city  was  authorized,  in  the  event  that  the  electors  decided  for  city  ownership,  to  issue 
bonds  not  to  exceed  $50,000,000  for  the  construction  of  the  road  or  roads  and  $5,000,000  additional, 
if  necessary,  for  acquiring  property  rights  for  the  route.  The  interest  on  the  bonds  was  not  to  exceed 
2%  per  cent. 

(<?)  The  Commissioners  were  given  the  broad  power  to  enter  into  a  contract  (in  the  case  of  more  than 
one  road,  successive  contracts)  on  behalf  of  the  city  for  the  construction  of  the  road  with  the  person,  firm,  or 
corporation  which  in  the  opinion  of  the  Board  should  be  best  qualified  to  carry  out  the  contract,  and  to 
determine  the  amount  of  the  bond  to  be  given  by  the  contractor  to  secure  its  performance.  The  essential 
features  of  the  contract  were,  however,  prescribed  by  the  Act.  The  contractor  in  and  by  the  contract  for 
building  the  road  was  to  agree  to  fully  equip  it  at  his  own  expense,  and  the  equipment  was  to  include  all  power 
houses.  He  was  also  to  operate  the  road,  as  lessee  of  the  city,  for  a  term  not  to  exceed  fifty  years,  upon 
terms  to  be  included  in  the  contract  for  construction,  which  might  include  provision  for  renewals  of  the  lease 
upon  such  terms  as  the  Board  should  from  time  to  time  determine.  The  rental  was  to  be  at  least  equal  to 
the  amount  of  interest  on  the  bonds  which  the  city  might  issue  for  construction  and  one  per  cent,  additional. 
The  one  per  cent,  additional  might,  in  the  discretion  of  the  Board,  be  made  contingent  in  part  for  the  first 
ten  years  of  the  lease  upon  the  earnings  of  the  road.  The  rental  was  to  be  applied  by  the  city  to  the  interest 
on  the  bonds  and  the  balance  was  to  be  paid  into  the  city's  general  sinking  fund  for  payment  of  the  city's 
debt  or  into  a  sinking  fund  for  the  redemption  at  maturity  of  the  bonds  issued  for  the  construction  of  the 
rapid  transit  road,  or  roads.  In  addition  to  the  security  which  might  be  required  by  the  Board  of  the  con- 
tractor for  construction  and  operation,  the  Act  provided  that  the  city  should  have  a  first  lien  upon  the  equip- 
ment of  the  road  to  be  furnished  by  the  contractor,  and  at  the  termination  of  the  lease  the  city  had  the 
privilege  of  purchasing  such  equipment  from  the  contractor. 


PAGE   iSiNTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


(/)  The  city  was  to  furnish  the  right  of  way  to  the  contractor  free  from  all  claims  of  abutting  property 
owners.  The  road  was  to  be  the  absolute  property  of  the  city  and  to  be  deemed  a  part  of  the  public  streets 
and  highways.  The  equipment  of  the  road  was  to  be  exempt  from  taxation. 

(g)  The  Board  was  authorized  to  include  in  the  contract  for  construction  provisions  in  detail  for  the 
supervision  of  the  city,  through  the  Board,  over  the  operation  of  the  road  under  the  lease. 

One  of  the  most  attractive  —  and,  in  fact,  indispensable  features  of  the  scheme  —  was  that  the  work  of 
construction,  instead  of  being  subject  to  the  conflicting  control  of  various  departments  of  the  City  Govern- 
ment, with  their  frequent  changes  in  personnel,  was  under  the  exclusive  supervision  and  control  of  the  Rapid 
Transit  Board,  a  conservative  and  continuous  body  composed  of  the  two  principal  officers  of  the  City  Govern- 
ment, and  five  merchants  of  the  very  highest  standing  in  the  community. 

Provided  capitalists  could  be  found  to  undertake  such  an  extensive  work  under  the  exacting  provisions, 
the  scheme  was  an  admirable  one  from  the  taxpayers'  point  of  view.  The  road  would  cost  the  city  practi- 
cally nothing  and  the  obligation  of  the  contractor  to  equip  and  operate  being  combined  with  the  agreement 
to  construct  furnished  a  safeguard  against  waste  of  the  public  funds  and  insured  the  prompt  completion  of 
the  road.  The  interest  of  the  contractor  in  the  successful  operation,  after  construction,  furnished  a  strong 
incentive  to  see  that  as  the  construction  progressed  the  details  were  consistent  with  successful  operation 
and  to  suggest  and  consent  to  such  modifications  of  the  contract  plans  as  might  appear  necessary  from  an 
operating  point  of  view,  from  time  to  time.  The  rental  being  based  upon  the  cost  encouraged  low  bids, 
and  the  lien  of  the  city  upon  the  equipment  secured  the  city  against  all  risk,  once  the  road  was  in  operation. 

Immediately  after  the  vote  of  the  electors  upon  the  question  of  municipal  ownership,  the  Rapid  Transit 
Commissioners  adopted  routes  and  plans  which  they  had  been  studying  and  perfecting  since  the  failure  to 
find  bidders  for  the  franchise  under  the  original  Act  of  1891.  The  local  authorities  approved  them,  and 
again  the  property  owners  refused  their  consent,  making  an  application  to  the  Supreme  Court  necessary. 
The  Court  refused  its  approval  upon  the  ground  that  the  city,  owing  to  a  provision  of  the  constitution  of 
the  State  limiting  the  city's  power  to  incur  debt,  would  be  unable  to  raise  the  necessary  money.  This  deci- 
sion appeared  to  nullify  all  the  efforts  of  the  public  spirited  citizens  composing  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit 
Commissioners  and  to  practically  prohibit  further  attempts  on  their  part.  They  persevered,  however,  and 
in  January,  1897,  adopted  new  general  routes  and  plans.  The  consolidation  of  a  large  territory  into  the 
Greater  New  York,  and  increased  land  values,  warranted  the  hope  that  the  city's  debt  limit  would  no  longer  be 
an  objection,  especially  as  the  new  route  changed  the  line  so  as  to  reduce  the  estimated  cost.  The  demands  for 
rapid  transit  had  become  more  and  more  imperative  as  the  years  went  by,  and  it  was  fair  to  assume  that 
neither  the  courts  nor  the  municipal  authorities  would  be  overzealous  to  find  a  narrow  construction  of  the 
laws.  Incidentally,  the  constitutionality  of  the  rapid  transit  legislation,  in  its  fundamental  features,  had  been 
upheld  in  the  Supreme  Court  in  a  decision  which  was  affirmed  by  the  highest  court  of  the  State  a  few  weeks 
after  the  Board  had  adopted  its  new  plans.  The  local  authorities  gave  their  consent  to  the  new  route;  the 
property  owners,  as  on  the  two  previous  occasions,  refused  their  consent;  the  Supreme  Court  gave  its 
approval  in  lieu  thereof;  and  the  Board  was  prepared  to  undertake  the  preliminaries  for  letting  a  contract. 
These  successive  steps  and  the  preparation  of  the  terms  of  the  contract  all  took  time;  but,  finally,  on 
November  1  5,  1  899,  a  form  of  contract  was  adopted  and  an  invitation  issued  by  the  Board  to  contractors 
to  bid  for  the  construction  and  operation  of  the  railroad.  There  were  two  bidders,  one  of  whom  was  John 


INTER  BOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE 


THE       SUBWAY 


B.  McDonald,  whose  terms  submitted  under  the  invitation  were  accepted  on  January  15,  1900;  and,  for 
the  first  time,  it  seemed  as  if  a  beginning  might  be  made  in  the  actual  construction  of  the  rapid  transit  road. 
The  letter  of  invitation  to  contractors  required  that  every  proposal  should  be  accompanied  by  a  certified 
check  upon  a  National  or  State  Bank,  payable  to  the  order  of  the  Comptroller,  for  $150,000,  and  that 
within  ten  days  after  acceptance,  or  within  such  further  period  as  might  be  prescribed  by  the  Board,  the 
contract  should  be  duly  executed  and  delivered.  The  amount  to  be  paid  by  the  city  for  the  construction 
was  $35,000,000  and  an  additional  sum  not  to  exceed  $2,750,000  for  terminals,  station  sites,  and  other 
purposes.  The  construction  was  to  be  completed  in  four  years  and  a  half,  and  the  term  of  the  lease  from 
the  city  to  the  contractor  was  fixed  at  fifty  years,  with  a  renewal,  at  the  option  of  the  contractor,  for  twenty- 
five  years  at  a  rental  to  be  agreed  upon  by  the  city,  not  less  than  the  average  rental  for  the  then  preceding 
ten  years.  The  rental  for  the  fifty-year  term  was  fixed  at  an  amount  equal  to  the  annual  interest  upon  the 
bonds  issued  by  the  city  for  construction  and  i  per  cent,  additional,  such  I  per  cent,  during  the  first  ten 
years  to  be  contingent  in  part  upon  the  earnings  of  the  road.  To  secure  the  performance  of  the  contract  by 
Mr.  McDonald  the  city  required  him  to  deposit  $1,000,000  in  cash  as  security  for  construction,  to  furnish  a 
bond  with  surety  for  $5,000,000  as  security  for  construction  and  equipment,  and  to  furnish  another  bond  of 
$1,000,000  as  continuing  security  for  the  performance  of  the  contract.  The  city  in  addition  to  this  security 
had,  under  the  provisions  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Act,  a  first  lien  on  the  equipment,  and  it  should  be  mentioned  that 
at  the  expiration  of  the  lease  and  renewals  (if  any)  the  equipment  is  to  be  turned  over  to  the  city,  pending  an 
agreement  or  arbitration  upon  the  question  of  the  price  to  be  paid  for  it  by  the  city.  The  contract  (which 
covered  about  200  printed  pages)  was  minute  in  detail  as  to  the  work  to  be  done,  and  sweeping  powers  of 
supervision  were  given  the  city  through  the  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board,  who  by  the  contract  was  made 
arbiter  of  all  questions  that  might  arise  as  to  the  interpretation  of  the  plans  and  specifications.  The  city 
had  been  fortunate  in  securing  for  the  preparation  of  plans  the  services  of  Mr.  William  Barclay  Parsons, 
one  of  the  foremost  engineers  of  the  country.  For  years  as  Chief  Engineer  of  the  Board  he  had  studied 
and  developed  the  various  plans  and  it  was  he  who  was  to  superintend  on  behalf  of  the  city  the  completion 
of  the  work. 

During  the  thirty-two  years  of  rapid  transit  discussion  between  1868,  when  the  New  York  City  Central 
Underground  Company  was  incorporated,  up  to  1900,  when  the  invitation's  for  bids  were  issued  by  the  city, 
every  scheme  for  rapid  transit  had  failed  because  responsible  capitalists  could  not  be  found  willing  to  under- 
take the  task  of  building  a  road.  Each  year  had  increased  the  difficulties  attending  such  an  enterprise  and 
the  scheme  finally  evolved  had  put  all  of  the  risk  upon  the  capitalists  who  might  attempt  to  finance  the 
work,  and  left  none  upon  the  city.  Without  detracting  from  the  credit  due  the  public-spirited  citizens  who 
had  evolved  the  plan  of  municipal  ownership,  it  may  be  safely  asserted  that  the  success  of  the  undertaking 
depended  almost  entirely  upon  the  financial  backing  of  the  contractor.  When  the  bid  was  accepted  by  the 
city  no  arrangements  had  been  made  for  the  capital  necessary  to  carry  out  the  contract.  After  its  acceptance, 
Mr.  McDonald  not  only  found  little  encouragement  in  his  efforts  to  secure  the  capital,  but  discovered  that  the 
surety  companies  were  unwilling  to  furnish  the  security  required  of  him,  except  on  terms  impossible  for  him 
to  fulfill. 

The  crucial  point  in  the  whole  problem  of  rapid  transit  with  which  the  citizens  of  New  York  had 
struggled  for  so  many  years  had  been  reached,  and  failure  seemed  inevitable.  The  requirements  of  the 


PAGE  2oINTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE     SUBWAY 


Rapid  Transit  Act  were  rigid  and  forbade  any  solution  of  the  problem  which  committed  the  city  to  share  in 
the  risks  of  the  undertaking.  Engineers  might  make  routes  and  plans,  lawyers  might  draw  legislative  acts, 
the  city  might  prepare  contracts,  the  question  was  and  always  had  been,  Can  anybody  build  the  road  who 
will  agree  to  do  it  and  hold  the  city  safe  from  loss? 

It  was  obvious  when  the  surety  companies  declined  the  issue  that  the  whole  rapid  transit  problem  was 
thrown  open,  or  rather  that  it  always  had  been  open.  The  final  analysis  had  not  been  made.  After  all, 
the  attitude  of  the  surety  companies  was  only  a  reflection  of  the  general  feeling  of  practical  business  and 
railroad  men  towards  the  whole  venture.  To  the  companies  the  proposition  had  come  as  a  concrete  business 
proffer  and  they  had  rejected  it. 

At  this  critical  point,  Mr.  McDonald  sought  the  assistance  of  Mr.  August  Belmont.  It  was  left  to 
Mr.  Belmont  to  make  the  final  analysis,  and  avert  the  failure  which  impended.  There  was  no  time  for 
indecision  or  delay.  Whatever  was  to  be  done  must  be  done  immediately.  The  necessary  capital  must  be 
procured,  the  required  security  must  be  given,  and  an  organization  for  building  and  operating  the  road  must 
be  anticipated.  Mr.  Belmont  looking  through  and  beyond  the  intricacies  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Act,  and  the 
complications  of  the  contract,  saw  that  he  who  undertook  to  surmount  the  difficulties  presented  by  the  attitude 
of  the  surety  companies  must  solve  the  whole  problem.  It  was  not  the  ordinary  question  of  financing  a  rail- 
road contract.  He  saw  that  the  responsibility  for  the  entire  rapid  transit  undertaking  must  be  centered,  and 
that  a  compact  and  effective  organization  must  be  planned  which  could  deal  with  every  phase  of  the  situation. 

Mr.  Belmont  without  delay  took  the  matter  up  directly  with  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad 
Commissioners,  and  presented  a  plan  for  the  incorporation  of  a  company  to  procure  the  security  required  for 
the  performance  of  the  contract,  to  furnish  the  capital  necessary  to  carry  on  the  work,  and  to  assume 
supervision  over  the  whole  undertaking.  Application  was  to  be  made  to  the  Supreme  Court  to  modify  the 
requirements  with  respect  to  the  sureties  by  striking  out  a  provision  requiring  the  justification  of  the  sureties 
in  double  the  amount  of  liabilities  assumed  by  each  and  reducing  the  minimum  amount  permitted  to  be  taken 
by  each  surety  from  $500,000  to  $250,000.  The  new  corporation  was  to  execute  as  surety  a  bond  for 
$4,000,000,  the  additional  amount  of  $1,000,000  to  be  furnished  by  other  sureties.  A  beneficial  interest  in 
the  bonds  required  from  the  sub-contractors  was  to  be  assigned  to  the  city  and,  finally,  the  additional  amount 
of  $  i  ,000,000,  in  cash  or  securities,  was  to  be  deposited  with  the  city  as  further  security  for  the  performance 
of  the  contract.  The  plan  was  approved  by  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners,  and 
pursuant  to  the  plan,  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  Construction  Company  was  organized.  The  Supreme 
Court  granted  the  application  to  modify  the  requirements  as  to  the  justification  of  sureties  and  the  contract 
was  executed  February  21,  1900. 

As  president  and  active  executive  head  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  Construction  Company,  Mr. 
Belmont  perfected  its  organization,  collected  the  staff  of  engineers  under  whose  direction  the  work  of 
building  the  road  was  to  be  done,  supervised  the  letting  of  sub-contracts,  and  completed  the  financial 
arrangements  for  carrying  on  the  work. 

The  equipment  of  the  road  included,  under  the  terms  of  the  contract,  the  rolling  stock,  all  machinery 
and  mechanisms  for  generating  electricity  for  motive  power,  lighting,  and  signaling,  and  also  the  power  house, 
sub-stations,  and  the  real  estate  upon  which  they  were  to  be  erected.  The  magnitude  of  the  task  of 
providing  the  equipment  was  not  generally  appreciated  until  Mr.  Belmont  took  the  rapid  transit  problem  in 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  2l 


THE  SUBWAY  I       T       «  CONSTRUCTION 


hand.  He  foresaw  from  the  beginning  the  importance  of  that  branch  of  the  work,  and  early  in  1900, 
immediately  after  the  signing  of  the  contract,  turned  his  attention  to  selecting  the  best  engineers  and 
operating  experts,  and  planned  the  organization  of  an  operating  company.  As  early  as  May,  1900,  he 
secured  the  services  of  Mr.  E.  P.  Bryan,  who  came  to  New  York  from  St.  Louis,  resigning  as  vice-president 
and  general  manager  of  the  Terminal  Railroad  Association,  and  began  a  study  of  the  construction  work  and 
plans  for  equipment,  to  the  end  that  the  problems  of  operation  might  be  anticipated  as  the  building  and 
equipment  of  the  road  progressed.  Upon  the  incorporation  of  the  operating  company,  Mr.  Bryan  became 
vice-president. 

In  the  spring  of  1902,  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company,  the  operating  railroad  corporation 
was  formed  by  the  interests  represented  by  Mr.  Belmont,  he  becoming  president  and  active  executive  head 
of  this  company  also,  and  soon  thereafter  Mr.  McDonald  assigned  to  it  the  lease  or  operating  part  of  his 
contract  with  the  city,  that  company  thereby  becoming  directly  responsible  to  the  city  for  the  equipment  and 
operation  of  the  road,  Mr.  McDonald  remaining  as  contractor  for  its  construction.  In  the  summer  of  the 
same  year,  the  Board  of  Rapid  Transit  Railroad  Commissioners  having  adopted  a  route  and  plans  for  an 
extension  of  the  subway  under  the  East  River  to  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn,  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway 
Construction  Company  entered  into  a  contract  with  the  city,  similar  in  form  to  Mr.  McDonald's  con- 
tract, to  build,  equip,  and  operate  the  extension.  Mr.  McDonald,  as  contractor  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway 
Construction  Company,  assumed  the  general  supervision  of  the  work  of  constructing  the  Brooklyn  extension; 
and  the  construction  work  of  both  the  original  subway  and  the  extension  has  been  carried  on  under  his 
direction.  The  work  of  construction  has  been  greatly  facilitated  by  the  broad  minded  and  liberal  policy  of 
the  Rapid  Transit  Board  and  its  Chief  Engineer  and  Counsel,  and  by  the  cooperation  of  all  the  other  depart- 
ments of  the  City  Government,  and  also  by  the  generous  attitude  of  the  Metropolitan  Street  Railway  Com- 
pany and  its  lessee,  the  New  York  City  Railroad  Company,  in  extending  privileges  which  have  been  of  great 
assistance  in  the  prosecution  of  the  work.  In  January,  1903,  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company 
acquired  the  elevated  railway  system  by  lease  for  999  years  from  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company,  thus 
assuring  harmonious  operation  of  the  elevated  roads  and  the  subway  system,  including  the  Brooklyn  extension. 

The  incorporators  of  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  were  William  H.  Baldwin,  Jr.,  Charles  T. 
Barney,  August  Belmont,  E.  P.  Bryan,  Andrew  Freedman,  James  Jourdan,  Gardiner  M.  Lane,  John  B. 
McDonald,  DeLancey  Nicoll,  Walter  G.  Oakman,  John  Peirce,  Win.  A.  Read,  Cornelius  Vanderbilt,  George 
W.  Wickersham,  and  George  W.  Young. 

The  incorporators  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Subway  Construction  Company  were  Charles  T.  Barney,  August 
Belmont,  John  B.  McDonald,  Walter  G.  Oakman,  and  William  A.  Read. 


m3l 


EXTERIOR    VIEW    OF    POWH    HOUSE 


CHAPTER    I 

THE    ROUTE    OF   THE    ROAD  — PASSENGER   STATIONS   AND    TRACKS 


T 


">HE  selection  of  route  for  the  Subway  was  governed  largely  by  the  amount  which  the  city  was 
authorized  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Act  to  spend.  The  main  object  of  the  road  was  to  carry  to  and 
from  their  homes  in  the  upper  portions  of  Manhattan  Island  the  great  army  of  workers  who  spend 


J. 

the  business  day  in  the  offices,  shops,  and  warehouses  of  the  lower  portions,  and  it  was  therefore  obvious  that 
the  general  direction  of  the  routes  must  be  north  and  south,  and  that  the  line  must  extend  as  nearly  as  pos- 
sible from  one  end  of  the  island  to  the  other. 

The  routes  proposed  by  the  Rapid  Transit  Board  in  1895,  after  municipal  ownership  had  been  approved 
by  the  voters  at  the  fall  election  of  1894,  contemplated  the  occupation  of  Broadway  below  34th  Street  to  the 
Battery,  and  extended  only  to  i85th  Street  on  the  west  side  and  i46th  Street  on  the  east  side  of  the  city. 
As  has  been  told  in  the  introductory  chapter,  this  plan  was  rejected  by  the  Supreme  Court  because  of  the 
probable  cost  of  going  under  Broadway.  It  was  also  intimated  by  the  Court,  in  rejecting  the  routes,  that 
the  road  should  extend  further  north. 

It  had  been  clear  from  the  beginning  that  no  routes  could  be  laid  out  to  which  abutting  property  owners 
would  consent,  and  that  the  consent  of  the  Court  as  an  alternative  would  be  necessary  to  any  routes  chosen. 
To  conform  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the  views  of  the  Court,  the  Commission  proposed,  in  1897,  the  so  called 
"Elm  Street  route,"  the  plan  finally  adopted,  which  reached  from  the  territory  near  the  General  Post-office, 
the  City  Hall,  and  Brooklyn  Bridge  Terminal  to  Kingsbridge  and  the  station  of  the  New  York  &  Putnam 
Railroad  on  the  upper  west  side,  and  to  Bronx  Park  on  the  upper  east  side  of  the  city,  touching  the  Grand 
Central  Depot  at  42d  Street. 

Subsequently,  by  the  adoption   of  the   Brooklyn   Extension,  the  line  was  extended  down  Broadway  to 
the  southern  extremity  of  Manhattan  Island,  thence  under  the  East  River  to  Brooklyn. 
The  routes  in  detail  are  as  follows: 

Beginning  near  the  intersection  of  Broadway  and  Park  Row,  one  of  the  routes  of  the  railroad  extends   Manhattan- 
under  Park  Row,  Center  Street,  New  Elm  Street,  Elm  Street,  Lafayette  Place,  Fourth  Avenue  (beginning  Bronx  Route 
at  Astor   Place),   Park  Avenue,  42d  Street,  and   Broadway  to   i25th  Street,  where  it  passes  over  Broad- 
way by  viaduct   to    i33d   Street,  thence   under  Broadway  again    to  and  under  Eleventh  Avenue  to   Fort 
George,  where  it  comes  to  the  surface  again  at  Dyckman  Street  and  continues  by  viaduct  over  Naegle  Avenue, 
Amsterdam  Avenue,  and  Broadway  to  Bailey  Avenue,  at  the  Kingsbridge  station  of  the  New  York  &  Putnam 
Railroad,  crossing  the  Harlem  Ship  Canal  on  a  double-deck  drawbridge.      The  length  of  this  route  is  13.50 
miles,  of  which  about  2  miles  are  on  viaduct. 

Another  route  begins  at  Broadway  near  io3d  Street  and  extends  under  io4th  Street  and  the  upper  part 
of  Central  Park  to  and  under  Lenox  Avenue  to  i42d  Street,  thence  curving  to  the  east  to  and  under  the 


PAGE     24 


MAP 

SHOWING     THE     LINES 

OF     TH  E 


INTERBOROUGH    RAPID    TRANSIT    CO, 


SCALE    OF    FEET. 

1904. 


B     O     R     O 


Harlem  River  at  about  Hfth  Street,  thence  from  the  river  to  and  under  East  I49th  Street  to  a  point  near 
Third  Avenue,  thence  by  viaduct  beginning  at  Brook  Avenue  over  Westchester  Avenue,  the  Southern 
Boulevard  and  the  Boston  Road  to  Bronx  Park.  The  length  of  this  route  is  about  6.97  miles,  of  which 
about  3  miles  are  on  viaduct. 

At  the  City  Hall  there  is  a  loop  under  the  Park.  From  I42d  Street  there  is  a  spur  north 
under  Lenox  Avenue  to  i48th  Street.  There  is  a  spur  at  Westchester  and  Third  Avenues  connecting  by 
viaduct  the  Manhattan  Elevated  Railway  Division  of  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  with  the 
viaduct  of  the  subway  at  or  near  St.  Ann's  Avenue. 

Brooklyn  Route  The  route  of  the   Brooklyn   Extension  connects  near  Broadway  and   Park   Row  with  the  Manhattan 

Bronx  Route  and  extends  under  Broadway,  Bowling  Green,  State  Street,  Battery  Park,  Whitehall  Street,  and 
South  Street  to  and  under  the  East  River  to  Brooklyn  at  the  foot  of  Joralemon  Street,  thence  under 
Joralemon  Street,  Fulton  Street,  and  Flatbush  Avenue  to  Atlantic  Avenue,  connecting  with  the  Brooklyn 


NOTE. 

Rapid  Transit  R.  R.,  Subway  Portions,  shown  thus. 
Rapid  Transit  R.  R.,  Viaduct  Portions,  shown  thus.  = 
Manhattan  Division,  shown  thus 
Express  Stations,  shown  thus 
Local  Stations,  shown  thus 
Sub-Power  Stations,  shown  thus 


B     O     R     O 


McGraw  Publishing  Co.,  New  York  City. 


PAGE     25 


tunnel  of  the  Long  Island  Railroad  at  that  point.      There  is  a  loop  under  Battery  Park  beginning  at  Bridge 
Street.      The  length  of  this  route  is  about  3  miles. 

The  routes  in  Manhattan  and  The  Bronx  may  therefore  be  said  to  roughly  resemble  the  letter  Y  with 
the  base  at  the  southern  extremity  of  Manhattan  Island,  the  fork  at  io3d  Street  and  Broadway,  the  terminus 
of  the  westerly  or  Fort  George  branch  of  the  fork  just  beyond' Spuyten  Duyvil  Creek,  the  terminus  of  the 
easterly  or  Bronx  Park  branch  at  Bronx  Park.' 

The  stations  beginning  at  the  base  of  the  Y  and  following  the  route  up  to  the  fork  are  located  at  the   Location 
following  points  : 

c      ,  „  Of   Stations 

rry,  Bowling  Green  and  Battery  Place,  Rector  Street  and  Broadway,  Fulton  Street  and  Broad-    ' 

way,  City  Hall,  Manhattan;  Brooklyn  Bridge  Entrance,  Manhattan;  Worth  and  Elm  Streets,  Canal 
and  Elm  Streets,  Spring  and  Elm  Streets,  Bleecker  and  Elm  Streets,  Astor  Place  and  Fourth  Avenue, 
i4th  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  i8th  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  23d  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  28th  Street 


PAGE   26INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSI 


THE       SUBWAY 


O         N          S 


34TH    STREET    AND    PARK    AVJMt.    I..MIKINT;    SOUTH 


and  Fourth  Avenue,  3jd  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue,  42d  Street  and  Madison  Avenue  (Grand  Central 
Station),  42d  Street  and  Broadway,  5oth  Street  and  Broadway,  6oth  Street  and  Broadway  (Columbus  Circle), 
66th  Street  and  Broadway,  J2d  Street  and  Broadway,  79th  Street  and  Broadway,  86th  Street  and  Broadway, 
9 ist  Street  and  Broadway,  96th  Street  and  Broadway. 

The  stations  of  the  Fort  George  or  westerly  branch  are  located  at  the  following  points  : 
One  Hundred  and  Third  Street  and  Broadway,  noth  Street  and  Broadway  (Cathedral  Parkway),  T  i6th 
Street  and  Broadway  (Columbia  University),  Manhattan  Street  (near  12 8th  Street)  and  Broadway,  ijyth 
Street  and  Broadway,  i4fth  Street  and  Broadway,  ifyth  Street  and  Broadway,  the  intersection  of  i68th 
Street,  St.  Nicholas  Avenue  and  Broadway,  i8ist  Street  and  Eleventh  Avenue,  Dyckman  Street  and  Naegle 
Avenue  (beyond  Fort  George),  2oyth  Street  and  Amsterdam  Avenue,  21 5th  Street  and  Amsterdam  Avenue, 
Muscoota  Street  and  Broadway,  Bailey  Avenue,  at  Kingsbridge  near  the  New  York  &  Putnam  Railroad 
station. 

The  stations  on  the  Bronx  Park  or  easterly  branch  are  located  at  the  following  points  : 

One   Hundred  and  Tenth  Street  and   Lenox  Avenue,  n6th  Street  and   Lenox  Avenue,  1 25th  Street 

and  Lenox  Avenue,  iJ5th  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue,  I45th  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue  (spur),  Mott  Avenue 

and   1 49th  Street,  the  intersection  of  1491)1  Street,  Melrose  and  Third  Avenues,  Jackson  and  Westchester 

Avenues,  Prospect  and  Westchester  Avenues,  Westchester  Avenue  near  Southern   Boulevard  (Fox  Street), 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT  PAGE    27 


THE       SUBWAY 


HEN 


L*F»VFTTE   PL. 

1 7 RACK  4  TRACES  4  TRACK*    •>  """ 
TRACKS          TRACKS 


(6)  © 

—BROAOWA3'  ORlOULEVM>0~ 
"  "  "3  TRACKS 


E        £ 


AMSTERDAM   vi*  BROADWAr 

AVE          AVE          '~_~*»i~'     m«>TMST 
3  TRACKS 


PROFILE 

OP 
RAPID    TRANSIT    RAILROAD 

MANHATTAN   AND    BRONX    LINES. 


1! 

"  S  K     i 

s       ss     s     I      S      s        s     >  S 
;       Sisgss       =ts 

i        if     |^»jiJtjMl».--^-fc*- '  =-"c'' 

'  ~^<^-^\    sf*^<*^fn* 
-^          M •     lliyl:    .  ,  Ifntn 


w-  sOUT_.TON 

,  ,       U^i-jKiSSV       we3TCH£ST£RAve-*"eOULEVARD   ^-ROAD     'I 

~  '"        "         -  "  ~  '--• 


1    TRACKS          "•*  * 

TRACKS   Prime       Double  C«»t  Irun 
Propertj     Circular  Section 


Freeman  Street  and  the  Southern  Boulevard,  intersection  of  i  y4th  Street,  Southern   Boulevard  and   Boston 
Road,  i  yyth  Street  and  Boston  Road  (near  Bronx  Park). 

The  stations  in  the  Borough  of  Brooklyn  on  the  Brooklyn  Extension  are  located  as  follows: 

Joralemon  Street  near  Court  (Brooklyn  Borough  Hall),  intersection  of  Fulton,  Bridge,  and  Hoyt 
Streets;  Flatbush  Avenue  near  Nevins  Street,  Atlantic  Avenue  and  Flatbush  Avenue  (Brooklyn  terminal  of 
the  Long  Island  Railroad). 

From  the  Borough  Hall,  Manhattan,  to  the  p6th  Street  station,  the  line  is  four-track.  On  the  Fort 
George  branch  (including  io3d  Street  station)  there  are  three  tracks  to  i45th  Street  and  then  two  tracks 
to  Dyckman  Street,  then  three  tracks  again  to  the  terminus  at  Bailey  Avenue.  On  the  Bronx  Park  branch 
there  are  two  tracks  to  Brook  Avenue  and  from  that  point  to  Bronx  Park  there  are  three  tracks.  On  the 
Lenox  Avenue  spur  to  i48th  Street  there  are  two  tracks,  on  the  City  Hall  loop  one  track,  on  the  Battery 
Park  loop  two  tracks.  The  Brooklyn  Extension  is  a  two-track  line. 

There  is  a  storage  yard  under  Broadway  between  13  7th  Street  and  145^  Street  on  the  Fort  George 
branch,  another  on  the  surface  at  the  end  of  the  Lenox  Avenue  spur,  Lenox  Avenue  and  i48th  Street,  and 
a  third  on  an  elevated  structure  at  the  Boston  Road  and  1  78th  Street.  There  is  a  repair  shop  and  inspection 
shed  on  the  surface  adjoining  the  Lenox  Avenue  spur  at  the  Harlem  River  and  i48-i5oth  Streets,  and  an 
inspection  shed  at  the  storage  yard  at  Boston  Road  and  iy8th  Street. 

The  total  length  of  the  line  from  the  City  Hall  to  the  Kingsbridge  terminal  is  13.50  miles,  with  47.11 
miles  of  single  track  and  sidings.  The  eastern  or  Bronx  Park  branch  is  6.97  miles  long,  with  17.50  miles 
of  single  track. 


Reinforced  Concrete  Construction 

6'  :' 


('.mi'.  Gins."  Tunnel  Comtructlon  with  Call  Iron  Shell 


PROFILE 

OP 
BROOKLYN  EXTENSION 


r 


PAGE  28INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Grades  and 
Curves 


The  total  length  of  the  Brooklyn  Extension  is  3.1  miles,  with  about  8  miles  of  single  track. 

The  grades  and  curvature  along  the  main  line  may  be  summarized  as  follows: 

The  total  curvature  is  equal  in  length  to  23  per  cent,  of  the  straight  line,  and  the  least  radius  of  cur- 
vature is  147  feet.  The  greatest  grade  is  3  per  cent.,  and  occurs  on  either  side  of  the  tunnel  under  the  Har- 
lem River.  At  each  station  there  is  a  down  grade  of  2.1  per  cent.,  to  assist  in  the  acceleration  of  the  cars 
when  they  start.  In  order  to  make  time  on  roads  running  trains  at  frequent  intervals,  it  is  necessary  to  bring 
the  trains  to  their  full  speed  very  soon  after  starting.  The  electrical  equipment  of  the  Rapid  Transit  Rail- 
road will  enable  this  to  be  done  in  a  better  manner  than  is  possible  with  steam  locomotives,  while  these  short 
acceleration  grades  at  each  station,  on  both  up  and  down  tracks,  will  be  of  material  assistance  in  making  the 
starts  smooth. 

Photograph  on  page  26  shows  an  interesting  feature  at  a  local  station,  where,  in  order  to  obtain  the  quick 
acceleration  in  grade  for  local  trains,  and  at  the  same  time  maintain  a  level  grade  for  the  express  service,  the 
tracks  are  constructed  at  a  different  level.  This  occurs  at  many  local  stations. 

On  the  Brooklyn  Extension  the  maximum  grade  is  3.1  per  cent,  descending  from  the  ends  to  the  center 
of  the  East  River  tunnel.  The  minimum  radius  of  curve  is  1,200  feet. 


STANDARD    STEEL    CONSTRUCTION    IN    TUNNEL THIRD  RAIL  PROTECTION  NOT  SHOWN 


I   N   T   E   RBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  29 


THE       SUBWAY 


BARCL 

* 
* 

-r 

0. 

B  RO  A  D  WA  Y 

PLAN  OF 
BROOKLYN    I$KI1>GE    STATION 

ANI> 
CITY    HALL,    LOOP 


The  track  is  of  the  usual  standard  construction  with  broken  stone  ballast,  timber  cross  ties,  and  100- 
pound  rails  of  the  American  Society  of  Civil  Engineers'  section.  The  cross  ties  are  selected  hard  pine. 
All  ties  are  fitted  with  tie  plates.  All  curves  are  supplied  with  steel  inside  guard  rails.  The  frogs  and 
switches  are  of  the  best  design  and  quality  to  be  had,  and  a  special  design  has  been  used  on  all 
curves.  At  the  Battery  loop,  at  Westchester  Avenue,  at  96th  Street,  and  at  City  Hall  loop,  where 
it  has  been  necessary  for  the  regular  passenger  tracks  to  cross,  grade  crossings  have  been  avoided; 
one  track  or  set  of  tracks  passing  under  the  other  at  the  intersecting  points.  (See  plan  on 
this  page.) 

The  contract  for  the  building  of  the  road  contains  the  following  somewhat  unusual  provision:  "The 
railway  and  its  equipment  as  contemplated  by  the  contract  constitute  a  great  public  work.  All  parts  of  the 
structure  where  exposed  to  public  sight  shall  therefore  be  designed,  constructed,  and  maintained  with  a  view 
to  the  beauty  of  their  appearance,  as  well  as  to  their  efficiency." 

It  may  be  said  with  exact  truthfulness  that  the  builders  have  spared  no  effort  or  expense  to  live  up  to 
the  spirit  of  this  provision,  and  that  all  parts  of  the  road  and  equipment  display  dignified  and  consistent 
artistic  effects  of  the  highest  order.  These  are  noticeable  in  the  power  house  and  the  electrical  sub-stations 
and  particularly  in  the  passenger  stations.  It  might  readily  have  been  supposed  that  the  limited  space  and 
comparative  uniformity  of  the  underground  stations  would  afford  but  little  opportunity  for  architectural  and 
decorative  effects.  The  result  has  shown  the  fallacy  of  such  a  supposition. 


PAGE  30    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


R          I'          C         T          I 


28 TH  STREET 


South    Bound    Local 


. 
:  Slinn.-r 


—    x    oc    x    a: 


South    Bound    1 1  • 


N'nrili    Uuuml    i:\|. ( 


X      X      X      X      X      3      !X       x 


x     x     x     X     X      r 


North    Bound    Local 


PLAN  OF 

28TH  ST.  &  4TII  AVENUE 
STATION. 


Of  the  forty-eight  stations,  thirty-three  are  underground,  eleven  are  on  the  viaduct  portions  of  the 
road,  and  three  are  partly  on  the  surface  and  partly  underground,  and  one  is  partly  on  the  surface  and  partly 
on  the  viaduct. 

Space    Occupied  The  underground  stations  are  at  the  street  intersections,  and,  except  in  a  few  instances,  occupy  space 

under  the  cross  streets.  The  station  plans  are  necessarily  varied  to  suit  the  conditions  of  the  different 
locations,  the  most  important  factor  in  planning  them  having  been  the  amount  of  available  space.  The 
platforms  are  from  200  to  350  feet  in  length,  and  about  16  feet  in  width,  narrowing  at  the  ends,  while  the 
center  space  is  larger  or  smaller,  according  to  local  conditions.  As  a  rule  the  body  of  the  station  extends 
back  about  50  feet  from  the  edge  of  the  platform. 

At  all  local  stations  (except  at  i  loth  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue)  the  platforms  are  outside  of  the  tracks. 
(Plan  and  photograph  on  pages  30  and  31.)  At  Lenox  Avenue  and  iioth  Street  there  is  a  single  island 
platform  for  uptown  and  downtown  passengers. 

Island  At  express  stations  there  are  two  island  platforms  between  the  express  and  local  tracks,  one  for  uptown 

Platforms  and  one  for  downtown  traffic.      In  addition,  there  are  the  usual  local  platforms  at  Brooklyn  Bridge,  I4th 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE   31 


THE       SUBWAY 


AND 


P         M          E         N         T 


28TH     STREET    STATION 


Street  (photograph  on   page  34)  and 
96th  Street.      At  the  remaining  ex- 
press stations,  420!  Street  and  Mad- 
ison Avenue  and  Jid  Street,  there 
are   no   local   platforms  outside   of 
the  tracks,  local  and  through  traffic 
using  the  island  platforms. 

The  island  platforms  at  Brook- 
lyn   Bridge,   i4th    Street,   and    42d 
Street     and     Madison     Avenue     are 
reached  by  mezzanine   footways    from 
the  local   platforms,  it  having   been   im- 
possible  to   place  entrances    in  the  streets 
immediately    over   the   platforms.       At    96th 
Street  there  is  an  underground  passage   connect- 
ing the  local   and  island  platforms,  and  at  y2d  Street 


PAGE  32    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Kiosks 


there  are  entrances  to  the  island  platforms  directly  from  the  street  because  there  is  a  park  area  in  the  mid- 
dle of  the  street.  Local  passengers  can  transfer  from  express  trains  and  express  passengers  from  local 
trains  without  payment  of  additional  fare  by  stepping  across  the  island  platforms. 

At  yzd  Street,  at  lojd  Street,  and  at  ii6th  Street  and  Broadway  the  station  platforms  are  below 
the  surface,  but  the  ticket  booths  and  toilet  rooms  are  on  the  surface;  this  arrangement  being  possible 
also  because  of  the  park  area  available  in  the  streets.  At  Manhattan  Street  the  platforms  are  on  the  viaduct, 
but  the  ticket  booths  and  toilet  rooms  are  on  the  surface.  The  viaduct  at  this  point  is  about  68  feet 
above  the  surface,  and  escalators  are  provided.  At  many  of  the  stations  entrances  have  been  arranged  trom 
the  adjacent  buildings,  in  addition  to  the  entrances  originally  planned  from  the  street. 

The  entrances  to  the  underground  stations  are  enclosed  at  the  street  by  kiosks  of  cast  iron  and  wire 
glass  (photograph  on  page  33),  and  vary  in  number  from  two  to  eight  at  a  station.  The  stairways  are  of 
concrete,  reinforced  by  twisted  steel  rods.  At  i68th  Street,  at  iSist  Street,  and  at  Mott  Avenue,  where  the 
platforms  are  from  90  to  100  feet  below  the  surface,  elevators  are  provided. 

At  twenty  of  the  underground  stations  it  has  been  possible  to  use  vault  lights  to  such  an  extent  that 
very  little  artificial  light  is  needed.  (Photograph  on  page  35.)  Such  artificial  light  as  is  required  is  sup- 


ST  SIDE  or  230  STREET  ITAT1ON 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  33 


THE       SUBWAY 


R         U         C         T         1 


U  I  P  M  E  N          T 


plied  by  incandescent 
lamps  sunk  in  the  ceil- 
ings. Provision  has  been 
made  for  using  the  track 
circuit  for  lighting  in 
emergency  if  the  regular 
lighting  circuit  should 
temporarily  fail. 

The  station  floors  are 
of  concrete,  marked  offin 
squares.  At  the  junction 
of  the  floors andsidewalls 
a  cement  sanitary  cove  is 
placed.  The  floors  drain 
to  catch-basins,  and  hose 
bibs  are  provided  for 
washing  the  floors. 

Two  types  of  ceiling  are  used,  one  flat,  which  covers  the  steel  and  concrete  of  the  roof,  and  the  other 
arched  between  the  roof  beams  and  girders,  the  lower  flanges  of  which  are  exposed.      Both  types  have  an  air 


o  p 

Toilet  I-    a    -e-    c,  -~-    a  _|  Tollel 


BROOKLYN  BRIDGE  STATIOX 


PAGE  34    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


space  between  ceiling  and  roof,  which,  together  with  the  air 
space  behind  the  inner  side  walls,  permits  air  to  circulate  and 
minimizes  condensation  on  the  surface  of  the  ceiling  and 
walls. 

The  ceilings  are  separated  into  panels  by  wide  orna- 
mental mouldings,  and  the  panels  are  decorated  with  nar- 
rower mouldings  and  rosettes.  The  bases  of  the  walls  are 
buff  Norman  brick.  Above  this  is  glass  tile  or  glazed 
tile,  and  above  the  tile  is  a  faience  or  terra-cotta  cornice. 
Ceramic  mosaic  is  used  for  decorative  panels,  friezes,  pilas- 
ters, and  name-tablets.  A  different  decorative  treatment  is 

USed     at    each     Station,    including    a    distinctive    Color    Scheme.  PLAO.UE  SHOWING   BEAVER   AT  ASTOH   PLACE  STATION 

At  some  stations  the  number  of  the  intersecting  street  or  initial  letter  of  the  street  name  is  shown  on 
conspicuous  plaques,  at  other  stations  the  number  or  letter  is  in  the  panel.  At  some  stations  artistic 
emblems  have  been  used  in  the  scheme  of  decoration,  as  at  Astor  Place,  the  beaver  (see  photograph  on 
this  page);  at  Columbus  Circle,  the  great  navigator's  Caravel;  at  ii6th  Street,  the  seal  of  Columbia 


EXPRESS  SYATION  AT    14TH  STREET,   SHOWING  ISLAND  ANl>  MEZZANINE  PLATFORMS  AND  STAIRS  CONNECTING  THEM 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  35 


THE       SUBWAY 


WEST    SIDE    OF    COLUMBUS    CIRCLE    STATION     (  6OTH    STREET)  

ILLUMINATED    BY    DAYLIGHT    COMING    THROUGH    VAULT    LIGHTS 

University.      The  walls  above  the  cornice  and  the  ceilings  are  fin- 
ished in  white  Keene  cement. 

The  ticket  booths  are  of  oak  with  bronze  window  grills  and 
fittings.  There  are  toilet  rooms  in  every  station,  except  at  the 
City  Hall  loop.  Each  toilet  room  has  a  free  closet  or  closets,  and 
a  pay  closet  which  is  furnished  with  a  basin,  mirror,  soap  dish, 
and  towel  rack.  The  fixtures  are  porcelain,  finished  in  dull 
nickel.  The  soil,  vent  and  water  pipes  are  run  in  wall  spaces, 
so  as  to  be  accessible.  The  rooms  are  ventilated  through  the 
hollow  columns  of  the  kiosks,  and  each  is  provided  with  an  elec- 
tric fan.  They  are  heated  by  electric  heaters.  The  woodwork  of  the 
rooms  is  oak  ;  the  walls  are  red  slate  wainscot  and  Keene  cement. 


CARAVEL    AND    WALL    DECORATION 


Passengers  may  enter  the  body  of  the  station  without  paying  fare.  The  train  platforms  are  separated 
from  the  body  of  the  station  by  railings.  At  the  more  important  stations,  separate  sets  of  entrances  are 
provided  for  incoming  and  outgoing  passengers,  the  stairs  at  the  back  of  the  station  being  used  for  entrances 
and  those  nearer  the  track  being  used  for  exits. 


PAGE  36INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


N          S         T          R          U         C         T 


AND 


P          M  I'  N  T 


An  example  of  the  care  used  to 
obtain  artistic  effects  can  be  seen  at 
the  City  Hall  station.  The  road 
at  this  point  is  through  an  arched 
tunnel.  In  order  to  secure  consist- 
ency in  treatment  the  roof  of  the 
station  is  continued  by  a  larger  arch 
of  special  design.  (See  photograph 
on  this  page.)  At  i68th  Street,  and 
at  iSist  Street,  and  at  Mott  Avenue 
stations,  where  the  road  is  far  beneath 


the  surface,  it  has  been  pos- 
sible to  build  massive  arches 
over  the  stations  and  tracks, 
with  spans  of  50  feet. 


CHAPTER    II 
TYPES   AND    METHODS    OF    CONSTRUCTION 

FIVE    types  of  construction  have  been  employed  in  building  the  road:      (i)  the  typical  subway  near 
the  surface  with  flat  roof  and  "  I "  beams  for  the  roof  and  sides,  supported  between  tracks  with 
steel   bulb-angle  columns  used  on  about  10.6   miles  or   52.2  per  cent,  of  the  road;    (2)  flat  roof 
typical  subway  of  reenforced  concrete  construction  supported  between  the  tracks  by  steel  bulb-angle  columns, 
used  for  a  short  distance  on  Lenox  Avenue  and  on  the   Brooklyn  portion  of  the   Brooklyn   Extension,  also 
on  the  Battery  Park  loop;    (3)  concrete  lined  tunnel  used  on  about  4.6  miles  or  23  per  cent,  of  the  road,  of 
which  4.2  per  cent,  was  concrete  lined  open  cut  work,  and  the  remainder  was  rock  tunnel  work;    (4)  elevated 
road  on  steel  viaduct  used  on  about  5  miles  or  24.6  per  cent,  of  the  road;  (5)  cast-iron  tubes  used  under 
the  Harlem  and  East  Rivers. 

The  general  character  of  the  flat  roof  "  I "  beam  construction  is  shown  in  photograph  on  page  28  and  Typical 
drawing  on  this  page.     The  bottom  is  of  concrete.     The  side  walls  have  "  I "  beam  columns  five  feet  apart,  Sub-way 
between  which  are  vertical  concrete   arches,  the  steel  acting  as  a  support  for  the  masonry  and  allowing  the 
thickness  of  the  walls  to  be  materially  reduced  from  that  necessary  were  nothing  but  concrete  used.     The 
tops  of  the  wall  columns  are  connected  by  roof  beams  which  are  supported  by  rows  of  steel  columns  between 
the  tracks,  built  on  concrete  and  cut  stone  bases  forming  part  of  the  floor  system.      Concrete  arches  between 
the  roof  beams  complete  the  top  of  the  subway.      Such  a  structure  is  not  impervious,  and  hence,  there  has 
been  laid  behind  the  side  walls,  under  the  floor  and  over  the  roof  a  course  of  two  to  eight  thicknesses  of  felt, 
each  washed  with  hot  asphalt  as  laid.    In  addition  to  this  precaution  against  dampness,  in  three  sections  of  the 
subway  (viz.:   on  Elm  Street  between  Pearl  and  Grand  Streets,  and  on  the  approaches  to  the  Harlem  River 


WATFRPROORNG 


TYPICAL,  SECTION  OF 
FOUR  TUACK  SUBWAY 


PAGE  38INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSI 


THE       SUBWAY 


Reinforced 

Concrete 

Construction 


K     Mil    ]H     nh      1  h  I~H     STREET    STATION 


tunnel,  and  on  the  Battery  Park  Loop)  the  felt  waterproofing  has  been  made  more  effective  by  one  or  two 
courses  of  hard-burned  brick  laid  in  hot  asphalt,  after  the  manner  sometimes  employed  in  constructing  the 
linings  of  reservoirs  of  waterworks. 

In  front  of  the  waterproofing,  immediately  behind  the  steel  columns,  are  the  systems  of  terra-cotta  ducts 
in  which  the  electric  cables  are  placed.  The  cables  can  be  reached  by  means  of  manholes  every  200  to  450 
feet,  which  open  into  the  subway  and  also  into  the  street.  The  number  of  these  ducts  ranges  from  128  down 
to  32,  and  they  are  connected  with  the  main  power  station  at  £8th  and  59th  Streets  and  the  Hudson  River 
by  a  i28-duct  subway  under  the  former  street. 

The  reinforced  concrete  construction  substitutes  for  the  steel  roof  beams,  steel  rods,  approximating  i  ^ 
inches  square,  laid  in  varying  distances  according  to  the  different  roof  loads,  from  six  to  ten  inches  apart. 
Rods  \y$  inches  in  diameter  tie  the  side  walls,  passing  through  angle  columns  in  the  walls  and  the  bulb-angle 
columns  in  the  center.  Layers  of  concrete  are  laid  over  the  roof  rods  to  a  thickness  of  from  eighteen  to 
thirty  inches,  and  carried  two  inches  below  the  rods,  imbedding  them.  For  the  sides  similar  square  rods  and 
concrete  are  used  and  angle  columns  five  feet  apart.  The  concrete  of  the  side  walls  is  from  fifteen  to  eighteen 
inches  thick.  This  type  is  shown  by  photographs  on  page  41.  The  rods  used  are  of  both  square  and 
twisted  form. 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  39 


THE       SUB  W A  Y 


R          U         C         T          1          O 


LAYING    SHEET    WATERPROOFING    IN     BOTTOM 


SPECIAL    BRICK    AND    ASPHALT    WATERPROOFING 


PAGE  40    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Methods  of 
Construction 
Typical 
Subway 


The  construction  of  the  typical  subway  has  been  carried  on  by  a  great  variety  of  methods,  partly  adopted 
on  account  of  the  conditions  under  which  the  work  had  to  be  prosecuted  and  partly  due  to  the  personal  views 
of  the  different  sub-contractors.  The  work  was  all  done  by  open  excavation,  the  so-called  "cut  and  cover" 
system,  but  the  conditions  varied  widely  along  different  parts  of  the  line,  and  different  means  were  adopted 
to  overcome  local  difficulties.  The  distance  of  the  rock  surface  below  the  street  level  had  a  marked  influence 
on  the  manner  in  which  the  excavation  of  the  open  trenches  could  be  made.  In  some  places  this  rock  rose 
nearly  to  the  pavement,  as  between  i4th  and  i8th  Streets.  At  other  places  the  subway  is  located  in 
water-bearing  loam  and  sand,  as  in  the  stretch  between  Pearl  and  Grand  Streets,  where  it  was  necessary  to 
employ  a  special  design  for  the  bottom,  which  is  illustrated  by  drawing  on  page  42. 

This  part  of  the  route  includes  the  former  site  of  the  ancient  Collect  Pond,  familiar  in  the  early  history 
of  New  York,  and  the  excavation  was  through  made  ground,  the  pond  having  been  filled  in  for  building 
purposes  after  it  was  abandoned  for  supplying  water  to  the  city.  The  excavations  through  Canal  Street, 
adjacent,  were  also  through  made  ground,  that  street  having  been  at  one  time,  as  its  name  implies,  a  canal. 

From  the  City  Hall  to  9th  Street  was  sand,  presenting  no  particular  difficulties  except  through  the 
territory  just  described. 

At  Union  Square  rock  was  encountered  on  the  west  side  of  Fourth  Avenue  from  the  surface  down. 
On  the  east  side  of  the  street,  however,  at  the  surface  was  sand,  which  extended  15  feet  down  to  a  sloping 
rock  surface.  The  tendency  of  the  sand  to  a  slide  off  into  the  rock  excavation  required  great  care.  The 


DUCTS    IN    SIDE    WALLS EIGHT    ONLY    OF    THE    SIXTEEN    LAYERS    ARE    SHOWN 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  41 


THE       SUBWAY         IT 


S  CONSTRUCTION  AND 


QUIPMBNT 


2NCRETE    CONSTRUCTION 


ROOF    SHOWING    CONCRETE-STEEL    CONSTRUCTION LENOX    AVENUE    AND     I4OTH-I4IST    STREETS 


PAGE  42     I    N   T   E   R   B   O    R   O   U   G   H  RAPID          T   R  A   N   S   I    T 


T  H  E       S  U  B  W  A  Y          ,      ,      •            ,      o     N     s 

TBUCTIOV                   AND                    K        tj        r        i        i-        M        i         N         i 

c  ,_J 

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12-10  To  Lower  Side  oftRoof  Beam 

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L            i'J  nv            J 

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..'"'"-          •.'"       .        -     ..    '.:.  -.'  '  .   FINCSJON 

»£   j                       vis's-  n"  r;f     ;.~                          mar.'!. 

I\J'   : 

_ 

Eo^GiiAyEI.  CONCRETE    .  _  -.     .     WATER:  PROOFING                  '-•       ^                        . 

?:-<5:.<y;..  -    .  .:  . 

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PEAT 
CLAY  - 

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ri  AV 
SECTION   OF   SU15AVAY 

AT  PEARL  STREET 

This  construction  was  made  necessary  by  encountering  a  layer  of  Peat  resting  on  Clay 


SURFACE    RAILWAY    TRACKS    SUPPORTED    OVER    EXCAVATION     ON     UPPER     BROAinVAY 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  43 


THE       SUBWAY 


ITS  CONSTRUCTION  AN 


EQUIPMENT 


SUBDIVISION    OF    36"    AND    3O//    GAS    MAINS    OVER    Ro 


SUBWAY 66TH    STREET    AND    BROADWAY 


work  was  done,  however,  without  interference  with  the  street  traffic,  which  is  particularly  heavy  at  that 
point. 

The  natural  difficulties  of  the  route  were  increased  by  the  network  of  sewers,  water  and  gas  mains,  steam 
pipes,  pneumatic  tubes,  electric  conduits  and  their  accessories,  which  filled  the  streets;  and  by  the  surface 
railways  and  their  conduits.  In  some  places  the  columns  of  the  elevated  railway  had  to  be  shored  up  tem- 
porarily, and  in  other  places  the  subway  passes  close  to  the  foundations  of  lofty  buildings,  where  the  con- 
struction needed  to  insure  the  safety  of  both  subway  and  buildings  was  quite  intricate.  As  the  subway  is 
close  to  the  surface  along  a  considerable  part  of  its  route,  its  construction  involved  the  reconstruction  of  all 
the  underground  pipes  and  ducts  in  many  places,  as  well  as  the  removal  of  projecting  vaults  and  buildings, 
and,  in  some  cases,  the  underpinning  of  their  walls.  A  description  in  detail  of  the  methods  of  construction 
followed  all  along  the  line  would  make  an  interesting  book  of  itself.  Space  will  only  permit,  however,  an 
account  of  how  some  of  the  more  serious  difficulties  were  overcome. 

On  Fourth  Avenue,  north  of  Union  Square  to  jjd  Street,  there  were  two  electric  conduit  railway 
tracks  in  the  center  of  the  roadway  and  a  horse  car  track  near  each  curb  part  of  the  distance.  The 
two  electric  car  tracks  were  used  for  traffic  which  could  not  be  interrupted,  although  the  horse  car  tracks 
could  be  removed  without  inconvenience.  These  conditions  rendered  it  impracticable  to  disturb  the  center 
of  the  roadway,  while  permitting  excavation  near  the  curb.  Well-timbered  shafts  about  8x10  feet,  in  plan, 
were  sunk  along  one  curb  line  and  tunnels  driven  from  them  toward  the  other  side  of  the  street,  stopping 
about  3l/2  feet  beyond  its  center  line.  A  bed  of  concrete  was  laid  on  the  bottom  of  each  tunnel,  and,  when 
it  had  set,  a  heavy  vertical  trestle  was  built  on  it.  In  this  way  trestles  were  built  half  across  the  street,  strong 


PAGE  44    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY         ITS 


CONSTRUCTION  AND 


enough  to  carry  all  the  street  cars  and  traffic  on  that  half  of  the  roadway.  Cableways  to  handle  the  dirt 
were  erected  near  the  curb  line,  spanning  a  number  of  these  trestles,  and  then  the  earth  between  them  was 
excavated  from  the  curb  to  within  a  few  feet  of  the  nearest  electric  car  track.  The  horse  car  tracks  were 
removed.  Between  the  electric  tracks  a  trench  was  dug  until  its  bottom  was  level  with  the  tops  of  the 
trestles,  about  three  feet  below  the  surface  as  a  rule.  A  pair  of  heavy  steel  beams  was  then  laid  in  this 
trench  on  the  trestles.  Between  these  beams  and  the  curb  line  a  second  pair  of  beams  were  placed.  In  this 
way  the  equivalent  of  a  bridge  was  put  up,  the  trestles  acting  as  piers  and  the  beams  as  girders.  The  central 
portion  of  the  roadway  was  then  undermined  and  supported  by  timbering  suspended  from  the  steel  beams. 
The  various  gas  and  water  pipes  were  hung  from  timbers  at  the  surface  of  the  ground.  About  four  sections, 
or  1 50  feet,  of  the  subway  were  built  at  a  time  in  this  manner.  When  the  work  was  completed  along  one 
side  of  the  street  it  was  repeated  in  the  same  manner  on  the  other  side.  This  method  of  construction  was 
subsequently  modified  so  as  to  permit  work  on  both  sides  of  the  street  simultaneously.  The  manner  in 
which  the  central  part  of  the  roadway  was  supported  remained  the  same  and  all  of  the  traffic  was  diverted  to 
this  strip. 

Between    i4th  and   iyth  Streets,  because  of  the  proximity  of  the  rock  to  the  surface,  it  was  necessary 
to   move   the   tracks   of  the   electric   surface   railway   from   the   center   of  the   street   some   twenty   feet   to 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  45 


THE       SUBWAY 


the  east  curb,  without  interrupting  traffic,  which  was  very  heavy  at  all  times,  the  line  being  one  of  the  main 
arteries  of  the  Metropolitan  system.  Four  12  x  1 2-inch  timbers  were  laid  upon  the  surface.  Standard 
cast-iron  yokes  were  placed  upon  the  timbers  at  the  usual  distance  apart.  Upon  this  structure  the  regular 
track  and  slot  rails  were  placed.  The  space  between  the  rails  was  floored  over.  Wooden  boxes  were 
temporarily  laid  for  the  electric  cables.  The  usual  hand  holes  and  other  accessories  were  built  and  the  road 
operated  on  this  timber  roadbed.  The  removal  of  the  tracks  was  made  necessary  because  the  rock  beneath 
them  and  the  concrete  around  the  yokes  was  so  closely  united  as  to  be  practically  monolithic,  precluding  the 
use  of  explosives.  Attempts  to  remove  the  rock  from  under  the  track  demonstrated  that  it  could  not  be 
done  without  destroying  the  yokes  of  the  surface  railway. 

The  method  of  undermining  the  tracks  on  Broadway  from  6oth  to  iO4th  Streets  was  entirely 
different,  for  the  conditions  were  not  the  same.  The  street  is  a  wide  one  with  a  22-foot  parkway  in  the 
center,  an  electric  conduit  railway  on  either  side,  and  outside  each  track  a  wide  roadway.  The  subway 
excavation  extended  about  10  feet  outside  each  track,  leaving  between  it  and  the  curb  ample  room  for 
vehicles.  The  construction  problem,  therefore,  was  to  care  for  the  car  tracks  with  a  minimum  interference 
with  the  excavation.  This  was  accomplished  by  temporary  bridges  for  each  track,  each  bridge  consisting  of 


iw^^ppi 

-  Mm  *.    . .  ---^  A      \        - 


SUPPORTING    ELEVATED    RAILROAD    BV    EXTENSION    GIRDER 6iTH    STREET    AND    BROADWAY 


PAGE  46INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


CONSTRUCTION 


I          f         M          E         N         T 


MOVING    BRICK    AND    CONCRETE    RETAINING    WALL    TO    MAKE    ROOM    FOR    THIRD    TRACK BROADWAY    AND     I  34-TH    STREET 

a  pair  of  timber  trusses  about  55  feet  long,  braced  together  overhead  high  enough  to  let  a  car  pass 
below  the  bracing.  These  trusses  were  set  up  on  crib-work  supports  at  each  end,  and  the  track  hung  from 
the  lower  chords.  (See  photograph  on  page  42.)  The  excavation  then  proceeded  until  the  trench  was 
finished  and  posts  could  be  put  into  place  between  its  bottom  and  the  track.  When  the  track  was  securely- 
supported  in  this  way,  the  trusses  were  lifted  on  flat  cars  and  moved  ahead  50  feet. 

At  66th  Street  station  the  subway  roof  was  about  2  feet  from  the  electric  railway  yokes  and 
structures  of  the  street  surface  line.  In  order  to  build  at  this  point  it  was  necessary  to  remove  two  large  gas 
mains,  one  30  inches  and  the  other  36  inches  in  diameter,  and  substitute  for  them,  in  troughs  built  between 
the  roof  beams  of  the  subway,  five  smaller  gas  mains,  each  24  inches  in  diameter.  This  was  done  without 
interrupting  the  use  of  the  mains. 

At  the  station  on  42d  Street,  between  Park  and  Madison  Avenues,  where  there  are  five  subway 
tracks,  and  along  42d  Street  to  Broadway,  a  special  method  of  construction  was  employed  which  was 
not  followed  elsewhere.  The  excavation  here  was  about  35  feet  deep  and  extended  10  to  15  feet  into 
rock.  A  trench  30  feet  wide  was  first  sunk  on  the  south  side  of  the  street  and  the  subway  built  in  it  for  a 
width  of  two  tracks.  Then,  at  intervals  of  50  feet,  tunnels  were  driven  toward  the  north  side  of  the  street. 
Their  tops  were  about  4  feet  above  the  roof  of  the  subway  and  their  bottoms  were  on  the  roof.  When  they 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  47 


THE       SUBWAY 


MEN 


had  been  driven  just  beyond  the  line  of  the   fourth  track, 
their  ends  were  connected  by  a  tunnel  parallel   with 
the  axis  of  the  subway.      The  rock  in  the  bot- 
tom of  all  these  tunnels  was  then  excavated 
to  its  final  depth.       In  the    small   tunnel 
parallel  with  the  subway  axis,  a  bed  of 
concrete  was  placed  and  the  third  row 
of  steel  columns  was   erected  ready 
to    carry    the    steel     and    concrete 
roof.     When  this  work  was   com- 
pleted, the  earth  between  the  trav- 
erse   tunnels    was    excavated,    the 
material    above     being    supported 
on  poling  boards  and  struts.      The 
roof  of  the   subway    was   then  ex- 


MOVING    WEST    SIDE    WALL    TO    WIDEN    SUBWAY    FOR 
THIRD    TRACK I35TH    STREET    AND    BROADWAY 


SUBWAY    THROUGH    NEW    "TIMts"     BUILDING,    SHOWING    INDEPENDENT    CONSTRUCTION THE    WORKMEN    STAND    ON    FLOOR    GIRDERS    OF    SUBWAY 


PAGE  48    INT  ERBO  ROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


I          !•          M          K          N          T 


fOLl'MNS    OF     HOTEL    BELMONT,    PASSING    THROUGH    SUBWAY     AT    42D    STREET     AND     PARK     AYKMK 


tended  sidewise  over  the  rock  below  from  the  second  to  the  third  row  of  columns,  and  it  was  not  until  the 
roof  was  finished  that  the  rock  beneath  was  excavated.  In  this  way  the  subway  was  finished  for  a  width  of 
four  tracks.  For  the  fifth  track  the  earth  was  removed  by  tunneling  to  the  limits  of  the  subway,  and  then 
the  rock  below  was  blasted  out. 

In  a  number  of  places  it  was  necessary  to  underpin  the  columns  of  the  elevated  railways,  and  a  variety 
of  methods  were  adopted  for  the  work.  A  typical  example  of  the  difficulties  involved  was  afforded  at  the 
Manhattan  Railway  Elevated  Station  at  Sixth  Avenue  and  42d  Street.  The  stairways  of  this  station  were 
directly  over  the  open  excavation  for  the  subway  in  the  latter  thoroughfare  and  were  used  by  a  large  number 
of  people.  The  work  was  done  in  the  same  manner  at  each  of  the  four  corners.  Two  narrow  pits  about  40 
feet  apart,  were  first  sunk  and  their  bottoms  covered  with  concrete  at  the  elevation  of  the  floor  of  the  subway. 
A  trestle  was  built  in  each  pit,  and  on  these  were  placed  a  pair  of  j-foot  plate  girders,  one  on  each  side  of 
the  elevated  column,  which  was  midway  between  the  trestles.  The  column  was  then  riveted  to  the  girders 
and  was  thus  held  independent  of  its  original  foundations.  Other  pits  were  then  sunk  under  the  stairway 
and  trestles  built  in  them  to  support  it.  When  this  work  was  completed  it  was  possible  to  carry  out  the 
remaining  excavation  without  interfering  with  the  elevated  railway  traffic. 

At  64th  Street  and  Broadway,  also,  the  whole  elevated  railway  had  to  be  supported  during  construction. 
A  temporary  wooden  bent  was  used  to  carry  the  elevated  structure.  The  elevated  columns  were  removed 
until  the  subway  structure  was  completed  at  that  point.  (See  photograph  on  page  45.) 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  49 


T  H  E       S  V  B  \V  A  Y 


ION 


FACE  AND  SUBWAY  ROOF,  SUBSTITUTED  FOR  ONE 
LARGE  MAIN I25TH  STREET  AND  LENOX  AVE. 

A  feature  of  the  construc- 
tion which  attracted  consider- 
able public  attention  while  it 
was  in  progress,  was  the  un- 
derpinning of  a  part  of  the 
Columbus  Monument  near 
the  southwest  entrance  to  Cen- 
tral Park.  This  handsome 
memorial  column  has  a  stone 
shaft  rising  about  75  feet 
above  the  street  level  and 
weighs  about  700  tons.  The 
rubble  masonry  foundation  is 
45  feet  square  and  rests  on  a 
2-foot  course  of  concrete. 
The  subway  passes  under  its 
east  side  within  3  feet  of  its 


.  SPECIAL    CONSTRUCTION    OF    6^-FOOT    SEWER,    UNDER    CHATHAM    SQUARE 


PAGE  50    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


T    R   A   N   S   I    T 


THE       SUBWAY 


THREE    PIPES    SUBSTITUTED    FOR     LARGE     BRICK    SEWER    AT     IIOTH    STREET    AM)     LENOX    AVKM/K 


center,  thus  cutting  out  about  three-tenths  of  the  original  support.  At  this  place  the  footing  wns  on  dry 
sand  of  considerable  depth,  but  on  the  other  side  of  the  monument  rock  rose  within  3  feet  of  the  surface. 
The  steep  slope  of  the  rock  surface  toward  the  subway  necessitated  particular  care  in  underpinning  the 
footings.  The  work  was  done  by  first  driving  a  tunnel  6  feet  wide  and  7  feet  high  under  the  monument 
just  outside  the  wall  line  of  the  subway.  The  tunnel  was  given  a  2-foot  bottom  of  concrete  as  a  support 
for  a  row  of  wood  posts  a  foot  square,  which  were  put  in  every  5  feet  to  carry  the  footing  above.  When 
these  posts  were  securely  wedged  in  place  the  tunnel  was  filled  with  rubble  masonry.  This  wall  was  strong 
enough  to  carry  the  weight  of  the  portion  of  the  monument  over  the  subway,  but  the  monument  had  to  be 
supported  to  prevent  its  breaking  off  when  undermined.  To  support  it  thus  a  small  tunnel  was  driven 
through  the  rubble  masonry  foundation  just  below  the  street  level  and  a  pair  of  plate  girders  run  through  it. 
A  trestle  bent  was  then  built  under  each  end  of  the  girders  in  the  finished  excavation  for  the  subway.  The 
girders  were  wedged  up  against  the  top  of  the  tunnel  in  the  masonry  and  the  excavation  was  carried  out 
under  the  monument  without  any  injury  to  that  structure. 

At   1 34th  Street  and   Broadway  a  two-track  structure  of  the  steel  beam  type  about  200  feet  long  was 
completed.     Approaching  it  from  the  south,  leading  from   Manhattan  Valley  Viaduct,  was  an  open  cut  \\ith 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE 


THE       SUBWAY         ITS 


NSTRUCTION  AND 


EQUIPMENT 


retaining  walls  300  feet  long  and 
from  3  to  13  feet  in  height.  After 
all  this  work  was  finished  (and  it 
happened  to  be  the  first  finished 
on  the  subway),  it  was  decided  to 
widen  the  road  to  three  tracks,  and  a 
unique  piece  of  work  was  success- 
fully accomplished.  The  retaining 
walls  were  moved  bodily  on  slides, 
by  means  of  jacks,  to  a  line  6^  feet 
on  each  side,  widening  the  road- 
bed 12^4  feet,  without  a  break  in 
either  wall.  The  method  of  widen- 
ing the  steel-beam  typical  subway 


SEWER   SIPHON   AT    lAOTH   STREET  AND   RAILROAD   AVENUE 


CONCRETE    SEWER    BACK    OK    ELECTRIC    DUCT    MANHOLE BROADWAY    AND    58TH    STREET 


PAGE  52    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


ITS 


ION  AND  •         Q         O         1          I'          M          E          N          T 


portion  was  equally  novel.  The 
west  wall  was  moved  bodily  by 
jacks  the  necessary  distance  to 
bring  it  in  line  with  the  new 
position  of  the  west  retaining 
wall.  The  remainder  of  the 
structure  was  then  moved  bodily, 
also  by  jacks,  6%  feet  to  the  east. 
The  new  roof  of  the  usual  type 
was  then  added  over  12^2  feet 
of  additional  opening.  (See  pho- 
tographs on  pages  46  and  47.) 

Provision  had  to  be  made, 
not  only  for  buildings  along  the 
route  that  towered  far  above  the 


CONCRETE  SEWER   BACK  OF  SIDE  WALL 
BROADWAY  AND    C&TH  STREET 


LARGE    GAS    AND    WATEK    PIPES,    BELAID    BEHIND    EACH    SIDE    WALL    ON    ELM    STREET 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  53 


THE       SUBWAY 


U         1          P          M          E         N 


DIFFICULT    PIPE    WORK BROADWAY    AND     7OTH    STREET 


street  surface,  but  also  for  some  which  burrowed  far  below  the  subway.  Photograph  on  page  47  shows 
an  interesting  example  at  42d  Street  and  Broadway,  where  the  pressroom  of  the  new  building  of  the  "New 
York  Times"  is  beneath  the  subway,  the  first  floor  is  above  it,  and  the  first  basement  is  alongside  of  it. 
Incidentally  it  should  be  noted  that  the  steel  structure  of  the  building  and  the  subway  are  independent,  the 
columns  of  the  building  passing  through  the  subway  station. 

At  42d  Street  and  Park  Avenue  the  road  passes  under  the  Hotel  Belmont,  which  necessitated  the  use 
of  extra  heavy  steel  girders  and  foundations  for  the  support  of  the  hotel  and  reinforced  subway  station.  (See 
photograph  on  page  48.) 

Along  the  east  side  of  Park  Row  the  ascending  line  of  the  "loop"  was  built  through  the  pressroom  of 
the  "New  York  Times"  (the  older  downtown  building),  and  as  the  excavation  was  considerably  below  the 
bottom  of  the  foundation  of  the  building,  great  care  was  necessary  to  avoid  any  settlement.  Instead  of 
wood  sheathing,  steel  channels  were  driven  and  thoroughly  braced,  and  construction  proceeded  without 
disturbance  of  the  building,  which  is  very  tall. 

At  1 25th  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue  one  of  the  most  complicated  network  of  subsurface  structures  was 
encountered.  Street  surface  electric  lines  with  their  conduits  intersect.  On  the  south  side  of  I25th  Street 


PAGE  54    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       S  I '  B  \V  A  Y 


SPECIAL    RIVETED    RECTANGULAR  WATER  PIPE,   OVER    ROOF    OF  SUBWAY  AT     I2&TH    STREET   AMI    LENOX  AVENUE 


were  a  48-inch  water  main  and  a  6-inch  water  main,  a  1 2-inch  and  two  lo-inch  gas  pipes  and  a  hank  of 
electric  light  and  power  ducts.  On  the  north  side  were  a  2O-inch  water  main,  one  6-inch,  one  id-inch,  and 
one  1 2-inch  gas  pipe  and  two  banks  of  electric  ducts.  The  headroom  between  the  subway  roof  and  the 
surface  of  the  street  was  4.75  feet.  It  was  necessary  to  relocate  the  yokes  of  the  street  railway  tracks  on 
Lenox  Avenue  so  as  to  bring  them  directly  over  the  tunnel  roof-beams.  Between  the  lower  flanges  of  the 
roof-beams,  for  four  bents,  were  laid  heavy  steel  plates  well  stiffened,  and  in  these  troughs  were  laid  four 
20-inch  pipes,  which  carried  the  water  of  the  48-inch  main.  (See  photograph  on  page  49.)  Special  cast- 
ings were  necessary  to  make  the  connections  at  each  end.  The  smaller  pipes  and  ducts  were  rearranged  and 
carried  over  the  roof  or  laid  in  troughs  composed  of  j-inch  I-beams  laid  on  the  lower  flanges  ot  the  roof- 
beams.  In  addition  to  all  the  transverse  pipes,  there  were  numerous  pipes  and  duct  lines  to  he  relaid  and 
rebuilt  parallel  to  the  subway  and  around  the  station.  The  change  was  accomplished  without  stopping  or 
delaying  the  street  cars.  The  water  mains  were  shut  off  for  only  a  few  hours. 

As  has  been  said,  the  typical  subway  near  the  surface  was  used  for  about  one-half  of  the  road.  Since 
the  sewers  were  at  such  a  depth  as  to  interfere  with  the  construction  of  the  subway,  it  meant  that  the  sewers 
along  that  half  had  to  be  reconstructed.  This  indicates  but  very  partially  the  magnitude  of  the  sewer  work, 
however,  because  nearly  as  many  main  sewers  had  to  be  reconstructed  off  the  route  of  the  subway  as  on  the 


I   N   T   KRBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  55 


T  H  E       S  I'  H  \\'  A  Y 


THREE-TRACK     CONCRETE     ARCH  I  I  7TH    STREET    AND     BROADWAY 


route;  7.21  miles  of  main  sewers  along  the  route  were  reconstructed  and  5.13  miles  of  main  sewers  off  the 
route.  The  reason  why  so  many  main  sewers  on  streets  away  from  the  subway  had  to  be  rebuilt,  was  that, 
from  42d  Street,  south,  there  is  a  natural  ridge,  and  before  the  construction  of  the  subway  sewers  drained  to 
the  East  River  and  to  the  North  River  from  the  ridge.  The  route  of  the  subway  was  so  near  to  the 
dividing  line  that  the  only  way  to  care  for  the  sewers  was,  in  many  instances,  to  build  entirely  new  outfall 
sewers. 

A  notable  example  of  sewer  diversion  was  at  Canal  Street,  where  the  flow  of  the  sewer  was  carried  into 
the  East  River  instead  of  into  the  Hudson  River,  permitting  the  sewer  to  be  bulkheaded  on  the  west  side 
and  continued  in  use.  On  the  east  side  a  new  main  sewer  was  constructed  to  empty  into  the  East  River. 
The  new  east-side  sewer  was  built  off  the  route  of  the  subway  for  over  a  mile.  An  interesting  feature  in 
the  construction  was  the  work  at  Chatham  Square,  where  a  6^-foot  circular  brick  conduit  was  built.  The 
conjunction  at  this  point  of  numerous  electric  surface  car  lines,  elevated  railroad  pillars,  and  enormous 
vehicular  street  traffic,  made  it  imperative  that  the  surface  of  the  street  should  not  be  disturbed,  and  the 
sewer  was  built  by  tunneling.  This  tunneling  was  through  very  fine  running  sand  and  the  section  to  be 
excavated  was  small.  To  meet  these  conditions  a  novel  method  of  construction  was  used.  Interlocked 


PAGE  56    I    N   T   E   R   B   O    R   0   U   G    H  RAPID          T    R    A    N   S    1    T 


THE       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


CONSTRUCTION    OF    FORT    GEORGE    Tl'NNF.L 


poling  boards  were  employed  to  support  the  roof  and  were  driven  by  lever  jacks,  somewhat  as  a  shield  is 
driven  in  the  shield  system  of  tunneling.  The  forward  ends  of  the  poling  boards  were  supported  by  a 
cantilever  beam.  The  sides  and  front  of  the  excavation  were  supported  by  lagging  boards  laid  flat  against 
and  over  strips  of  canvas,  which  were  rolled  down  as  the  excavation  progressed.  The  sewer  was  completed 
and  lined  in  lengths  of  from  i  foot  to  \yz  feet,  and  at  the  maximum  rate  of  work  about  1 2  feet  of  sewer 
were  finished  per  week. 

At  i  loth  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue  a  6^-foot  circular  brick  sewer  intersected  the  line  of  the  subway 
at  a  level  which  necessitated  its  removal  or  subdivision.  The  latter  expedient  was  adopted,  and  three 
42-inch  cast-iron  pipes  were  passed  under  the  subway.  (See  photograph  on  page  50.)  At  i49th  Street  and 
Railroad  Avenue  a  sewer  had  to  be  lowered  below  tide  level  in  order  to  cross  under  the  subway.  To  do  this 
two  permanent  inverted  siphons  were  built  of  48-inch  cast-iron  pipe.  Two  were  built  in  order  that  one  might 
be  used,  while  the  other  could  be  shut  off  for  cleaning,  and  they  have  proved  very  satisfactory.  This  was 
the  only  instance  where  siphons  were  used.  In  this  connection  it  is  worthy  of  note  that  the  general  changes 
referred  to  gave  to  the  city  much  better  sewers  as  substitutes  for  the  old  ones. 

A  number  of  interesting  methods  of  providing  for  subsurface  structures  are  shown    in   photographs 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGK  57 


T HE       SUBWAY 


N  S          T  K  U          C          T  I 


M          E         N          T 


pages  5 1  to  54.    From  the  General  Post-office  at  Park 
Rowto  28th Street, just  belowthe  surface, there  is  a 
system  of  pneumatic  mail  tubes  for  postal  de- 
livery.   Of  course,  absolutely  no  change 
in  alignment  could  be  permitted  while 
these  tubes  were  in  use  carrying  mail. 
It  was  necessary,  therefore,  to  sup- 
port them  very  carefully.      The 
slightest  deviation  in  alignment 
would  have  stopped  the  service. 

Between  jjd  Street  and  42 
Street  under  Park  Avenue,  be- 
tween  1 1 6th  Street  and  i2Oth 
Street  under  Broadway,  between 
1 57th  Street  and  Fort  George 


Concrete-lined 
'Tunnel 


TRAVELER    FOR    ERECTING    KOSMS,    CENTRAL    PARK    TUNNEL (iN    THIS    TUNNEL    DUCTS    ARE    BUILT    IN    THE    SIDEWALLs) 


PAGE  58    I    N   T   E   R   B   O   R   O   U   G   H          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


I'  N  S  T  K  T  C  T  I.O.N 


under  Broadway  and  Eleventh  Avenue  (the  second  longest 
double-track  rock  tunnel  in  the  I 'nited  States,  the  Hoo 
sac  tun.nel  being  the  only  one  of  greater  length), 
and    between     lO-fth    Street    and     Broadway 
under  Central   Park  to  Lenox  Avenue,  the 
road  is  in  rock  tunnel  lined  with  concrete. 
I'Vom     1 1 6th    Street    to    1 2Oth    Street 
the  tunnel  is  37*2   feet  wide,  one  of 
the   widest    concrete    arches    in    the 
world.     On  the  section  from  Broad 
way    and    lojd    Street    to    I.enox 
Avenue    and     i  loth    Street   under 
Central    Park,  a  two-track  subway 
was  driven  through  micaceous  rock 
by  taking  out  top  headings  ami  then 
two    full-width    benches.      The  work 


FOUR     COLUMN      !    rOWMJ      VIADUCT    CONSTRUCTION 


MANHATTAN     VALLEY    VIADUCT,    LOOKING    NORTH 


INTKRBORO'UGH 


RAP   I   D 


T   R   A   N   S   I    T 


59 


THE       SUBWAY 


N  S          T  K     '      U          C  T  I 


V          I          P          M          B         N         T 


ERECTION    OF    ARCH,    MANHATTAN    VALLEY    VIADUCT 


was  done  from  two  shafts  and  one  portal.  All  drilling  for  the  headings  was  done  by  an  eight-hour  night 
shift,  using  percussion  drills.  The  blasting  was  done  early  in  the  morning  and  the  day  gang  removed  the 
spoil,  which  was  hauled  to  the  shafts  and  the  portal  in  cars  drawn  by  mules.  A  large  part  of  the  rock  was 
crushed  for  concrete.  The  concrete  floor  was  the  first  part  of  the  lining  to  be  put  in  place.  Rails  were 
laid  on  it  for  a  traveler  having  moulds  attached  to  its  sides,  against  which  the  walls  were  built.  A  similar 
traveler  followed  with  the  centering  for  the  arch  roof,  a  length  of  about  50  feet  being  completed  at  one 
operation. 

On  the  Park  Avenue  section  from  34th  Street  to  4ist  Street  two  separate  double-track  tunnels  were 
driven  below  a  double-track  electric  railway  tunnel,  one  on  each  side.  The  work  was  done  from  four  shafts, 
one  at  each  end  of  each  tunnel.  At  first,  top  headings  were  employed  at  the  north  ends  of  both  tunnels 
and  at  the  south  end  of  the  west  tunnel;  at  the  south  end  of  the  east  tunnel  a  bottom  heading  was  used. 
Later,  a  bottom  heading  was  also  used  at  the  south  end  of  the  west  tunnel.  The  rock  was  very  irregular 
an'd  treacherous  in  character,  and  the  strata  inclined  so  as  to  make  the  danger  of  slips  a  serious  one.  The 
two  headings  of  the  west  tunnel  met  in  February  and  those  of  the  east  tunnel  in  March,  1902,  and  the 
widening  of  the  tunnels  to  the  full  section  was  immediately  begun.  Despite  the  adoption  of  every 


PAGE  60    INTERBOROUG 

THE 


H 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


U  B  W  A  Y 


Steel  Viaduct 


precaution  suggested  by  experience  in  such  work,  some  disturbance  of  the  surface  above  the  east  tunnel 
resulted,  and  several  house  fronts  were  damaged.  The  portion  of  the  tunnel  affected  was  bulkheaded  at 
each  end,  packed  with  rubble  and  grouted  with  Portland  cement  mortar  injected  under  pressure  through 
pipes  sunk  from  the  street  surface  above.  When  the  interior  was  firm,  the  tunnel  was  redriven,  using  much 
the  same  methods  that  are  employed  for  tunnels  through  earth  when  the  arch  lining  is  built  before  the 
central  core,  or  dumpling  of  earth,  is  removed.  The  work  had  to  be  done  very  slowly  to  prevent  any 
further  settlement  of  the  ground,  and  the  completion  of  the  widening  of  the  other  parts  of  the  tunnels  also 
proceeded  very  slowly,  because  as  soon  as  the  slip  occurred  a  large  amount  of  timbering  was  introduced,  which 
interfered  seriously  with  the  operations.  After  the  lining  was  completed,  Portland  cement  grout  was  again 
injected  under  pressure,  through  holes  left  in  the  roof,  until  further  movement  of  the  fill  overhead  was 
absolutely  prevented. 

As  has  been  said,  the  tunnel  between  ifyth  Street  and  Fort  George  is  the  second  longest  two-track 
tunnel  in  the  United  States.  It  was  built  in  a  remarkably  short  time,  considering  the  fact  that  the  work  was 
prosecuted  from  two  portal  headings  and  from  two  shafts.  One  shaft  was  at  i68th  Street  and  the  other  at 
iSist  Street,  the  work  proceeding  both  north  and  south  from  each  shaft.  The  method  employed  for  the 
work  (Photograph  on  page  56)  was  similar  to  that  used  under  Central  Park.  The  shafts  at  i68th  Street  and  at 
iSist  Street  were  located  at  those  points  so  that  they  might  be  used  for  the  permanent  elevator  equipment 
for  the  stations  at  these  streets.  These  stations  each  have  an  arch  span  of  about  50  feet,  lined  with  brick. 

The  elevated  viaduct  construction  extends  from  i25th  Street  to  ijjd  Street  and  from  Dyckman  Street 
to  Bailey  Avenue  on  the  western  branch,  and  from  Brook  and  Westchester  Avenues  to  Bronx  Park  on  the 
eastern,  a  total  distance  of  about  5  miles.  The  three-track  viaducts  are  carried  on  two  column  bents  where 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT     PAGE  6l 


THE       SUBWAY 


RUCTION 


AND 


EQUIPMENT 


PROFILE   OF 

HARLEM   RIVER   TUNNEL 
AND   APPROACHES 


NOTES. 

Rock  line  ahowu  is  approximate  only. 
Elevations  shown  are  referred  to  city  datum. 


the  rail  is  not  more  than  29  feet  above  the  ground  level,  and  on  four-column  towers  for  higher  structures. 
In  the  latter  case,  the  posts  of  a  tower  are  29  feet  apart  transversely  and  20  or  25  feet  longitudinally,  as  a 
rule,  and  the  towers  are  from  70  to  90  feet  apart  on  centers.  The  tops  of  the  towers  have  X-bracing  and 
the  connecting  spans  have  two  panels  of  intermediate  vertical  sway  bracing  between  the  three  pairs  of  longi- 
tudinal girders.  In  the  low  viaducts,  where  there  are  no  towers,  every  fourth  panel  has  zigzag  lateral  bracing 
in  the  two  panels  between  the  pairs  of  longitudinal  girders. 


PAGE   62 


T  E  R  B  O  R  O  U  G  H 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


T          K          I1          C 


ASSEMBLING    IRON    WORK    ON    PONTO 


The  towers  have  columns  consisting  as  a  rule  of  a  16  x  Vic-inch  web  plate  and  four  6  X4X  ss-inch  hull) 
angles.  The  horizontal  struts  in  their  cross-bracing  are  made  of  four  4  x  3-inch  angles,  latticed  to  form  an 
I-shaped  cross-section.  The  X-bracing  consists  of  single  fxj^-inch  angles.  The  tops  of  the  columns 
have  horizontal  cap  angles  on  which  are  riveted  the  lower  flanges  of  the  tranverse  girders;  the  end  angles  of 
the  girder  and  the  top  of  the  column  are  also  connected  by  a  riveted  splice  plate.  The  six  longitudinal 
girders  are  web-riveted  to  the  transverse  girders.  The  outside  longitudinal  girder  on  each  side  of  the  viaduct 
has  the  same  depth  across  the  tower  as  in  the  connecting  span,  but  the  four  intermediate  lines  are  not  so  deep 
across  the  towers.  In  the  single  trestle  bents  the  columns  are  the  same  as  those  just  described,  but  the 
diagonal  bracing  is  replaced  by  plate  knee-braces. 

The  Manhattan  Valley  Viaduct  on  the  West  Side  line,  has  a  total  length  of  2,174  feet.  Its  most 
important  feature  is  a  two-hinged  arch  of  168^  feet  span,  which  carries  platforms  shaded  by  canopies,  luit 
no  station  buildings.  The  station  is  on  the  ground  between  the  surface  railway  tracks.  Access  to  the  plat- 
forms is  obtained  by  means  of  escalators.  It  has  three  lattice-girder  two-hinge  ribs  24^  feet  apart  on 
centers,  the  center  line  of  each  rib  being  a  parabola.  Each  half  rib  supports  six  spandrel  posts  carrying  the 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  63 


THE       SUBWAY 


CONSTRUCTION  A  N  13  EQUIPMENT 


SHOWINf;     CONCRETE    OVER     IRON     WORK HARLEM     RIVER    TUNNEL 


roadway,  the  posts  being  seated  directly  over  vertical  web  members  of  the  rib.  The  chords  of  the  ribs  are 
6  feet  apart  and  of  an  H-section,  having  four  6  x  6-inch  angles  and  six  i  5-inch  flange  and  web  plates  for  the 
center  rib  and  lighter  sections  for  the  outside  ribs.  The  arch  was  erected  without  false  work. 

The  viaduct  spans  of  either  approach  to  the  arch  are  46  to  72  feet  long.  All  transverse  girders  are  31 
feet  4  inches  long,  and  have  a  70  x  ^-inch  web  plate  and  four  6  x  4-inch  angles.  The  two  outside  longitu- 
dinal girders  of  deck  spans  are  72  inches  deep  and  the  other  36  inches.  All  are  ^-inch  thick  and  their  four 
flange  angles  vary  in  size  from  5x3^  to  6x6  inches,  and  on  the  longest  spans  there  are  flange  plates.  At 
each  end  of  the  viaduct  there  is  a  through  span  with  go-inch  web  longitudinal  girders. 

Each  track  was  proportioned  for  a  dead  load  of  330  pounds  per  lineal  foot  and  a  live  load  of  25,000 
pounds  per  axle.  The  axle  spacing  in  the  truck  was  5  feet  and  the  pairs  of  axles  were  alternately  27  and  9 
feet  apart.  The  traction  load  was  taken  at  20  per  cent,  of  the  live  load,  and  a  wind  pressure  of  500  pounds 
per  lineal  foot  was  assumed  over  the  whole  structure. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  sections  of  the  work  is  that  which  approaches  and  passes  under  the  Harlem    Tubes  under 
River,  carrying  the  two  tracks  of  the  East  Side  line.     The  War  Department  required  a  minimum   depth  of  PJarlem    River 
20  feet  in  the  river  at  low  tide,  which  fixed   the  elevation  of  the  roof  of  the  submerged  part  of  the  tunnel. 
This  part  of  the  line,  641    feet  long,  consists  of  twin  single-track  cast-iron   cylinders    1 6  feet  in   diameter 


PAGE  64INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


enveloped  in  a  large  mass  of  concrete  and  lined  with  the  same  material.  The  approach  on  either  side  is  a 
double-track  concrete  arched  structure.  The  total  length  of  the  section  is  1,500  feet. 

The  methods  of  construction  employed  were  novel  in  subaqueous  tunneling  and  are  partly  shown  on 
photographs  on  pages  62  and  63.  The  bed  of  the  Harlem  River  at  the  point  of  tunneling  consists  of  mud, 
silt,  and  sand,  much  of  which  was  so  nearly  in  a  fluid  condition  that  it  was  removed  by  means  of  a  jet.  The 
maximum  depth  of  excavation  was  about  50  feet.  Instead  of  employing  the  usual  method  of  a  shield  and 
compressed  air  at  high  pressure,  a  much  speedier  device  was  contrived. 

The  river  crossing  has  been  built  in  two  sections.  The  west  section  was  first  built,  the  War  Depart- 
ment having  forbidden  the  closing  of  more  than  half  the  river  at  one  time.  A  trench  was  dredged  over  the 
line  of  the  tunnel  about  50  feet  wide  and  39  feet  below  low  water.  This  depth  was  about  10  feet 
above  the  subgrade  of  the  tunnel.  Three  rows  of  piles  were  next  driven  on  each  side  of  the  trench  from 
the  west  bank  to  the  middle  of  the  river  and  on  them  working  platforms  were  built,  forming  two  wharves 
38  feet  apart  in  the  clear.  Piles  were  then  driven  over  the  area  to  be  covered  by  the  sulnxay,  (>  feet  4  inches 
apart  laterally  and  8  feet  longitudinally.  They  were  cut  off  about  1 1  feet  above  the  center  line  of  each  tube 
and  capped  with  timbers  12  inches  square.  A  thoroughly-trussed  framework  was  then  floated  over  the  piles 
and  sunk  on  them.  The  trusses  were  spaced  so  as  to  come  between  each  transverse  row  of  piles  and  were 
connected  by  eight  longitudinal  sticks  or  stringers,  two  at  the  top  and  two  at  the  bottom  on  each  side.  The 
four  at  each  side  were  just  far  enough  apart  to  allow  a  special  tongue  and  grooved  i  2-inch  sheet  piling  to  be 
driven  between  them.  This  sheathing  was  driven  to  a  depth  of  10  to  15  feet  below  the  bottom  of  the 
finished  tunnel. 

A  well-calked  roof  of  three  courses  of  1 2-inch  timbers,  separated  by  2-inch  plank,  was  then  floated 
over  the  piles  and  sunk.  It  had  three  timber  shafts  7  x  17  feet  in  plan,  and  when  it  was  in  place  and 
covered  with  earth  it  formed  the  top  of  a  caisson  with  the  sheet  piling  on  the  sides  and  ends,  the  latter  being 
driven  after  the  roof  was  in  place.  The  excavation  below  this  caisson  was  made  under  air  pressure,  part  of 
the  material  being  blown  out  by  water  jets  and  the  remainder  removed  through  the  airlocks  in  the  shafts. 
When  the  excavation  was  completed,  the  piles  were  temporarily  braced  and  the  concrete  and  cast-iron  lining 
put  in  place,  the  piles  being  cut  off  as  the  concrete  bed  was  laid  up  to  them. 

The  second  or  eastern  section  of  this  crossing  was  carried  on  by  a  modification  of  the  plan  just  men- 
tioned. Instead  of  using  a  temporary  timber  roof  on  the  side  walls,  the  permanent  iron  and  concrete  upper 
half  of  the  tunnels  was  employed  as  a  roof  for  the  caisson.  The  trench  was  dredged  nearly  to  sub-grade 
and  its  sides  provided  with  wharves  as  before,  running  out  to  the  completed  half  of  the  work.  The 
permanent  foundation  piles  were  then  driven  and  a  timber  frame  sunk  over  them  to  serve  as  a  guide  for  the 
12-inch  sheet  piling  around  the  site.  Steel  pilot  piles  with  water  jets  were  driven  in  advance  of  the  wood- 
sheet  piles,  and  if  they  struck  any  boulders  the  latter  were  drilled  and  blasted.  The  steel  piles  were  with- 
drawn by  a  six-part  tackle  and  hoisting  engine,  and  then  the  wooden  piles  driven  in  their  place. 

When  the  piling  was  finished,  a  pontoon  35  feet  wide,  106  feet  long,  and  12  feet  deep  was  built  between 
the  wharves,  and  upon  a  separate  platform  or  deck  on  it  the  upper  half  of  the  cast-iron  shells  were  assembled, 
their  ends  closed  by  steel-plate  diaphragms  and  the  whole  covered  with  concrete.  The  pontoon  was  then  sub- 
merged several  feet,  parted  at  its  center,  and  each  half  drawn  out  endwise  from  beneath  the  floating  top  of 
the  tunnel.  The  latter  was  then  loaded  and  carefully  sunk  into  place,  the  connection  with  the  shore  section 


INT   K    R   H   0    ROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  65 


THE       SUBWAY 


AND 


EQUIPMENT 


LOOKING     UP     BROADWAY     FROM    TRINITY    CHURCH SHOWING    WORKING    PLATFORM     AND    GAS     MAINS    TEMPORARILY    SUPPORTED    OVERHEAD 


being  made  by  a  diver,  who  entered  the  roof  through  a  special  opening.  When  it  was  finally  in  place,  men 
entered  through  the  shore  section  and  cut  away  the  wood  bottom,  thus  completing  the  caisson  so  that  work 
could  proceed  below  it  as  before.  Three  of  these  caissons  were  required  to  complete  the  east  end  of  the 
crossing. 

The  construction  of  the  approaches  to  the  tunnel  was  carried  out  between  heavy  sheet  piling.  The 
excavation  was  over  40  feet  deep  in  places  and  very  wet,  and  the  success  of  the  work  was  largely  due  to  the 
care  taken  in  driving  the  1 2-inch  sheet  piling. 

A   number  of  interesting  features   should   be   noted  in   the   methods  of  construction  adopted  on  the   Met/iods    of 
Brooklyn  Extension.  Construction 

The  types  of  construction  on  the  Brooklyn   Extension  have  already  been  spoken  of.     They  are  (i)  Brooklyn 
typical  flat-roof  steel    beam    subway  from  the  Post-office,   Manhattan,  to   Bowling  Green;    (2)  reinforced 
concrete  typical  subway  in  Battery  Park,  Manhattan,  and  from  Clinton  Street  to  the  terminus,  in  Brooklyn; 
(3)  two  single  track  cast-iron-lined  tubular  tunnels  from    Battery  Park,  under  the   East  River,  and  under 
Joralemon  Street  to  Clinton  Street,  Brooklyn. 


PACK  66INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


T  H  K       S  L;  B  \V  A  Y 


Under  Broadway,  Manhattan,  the  work  is  through  sand,  the  vehicular  and  electric  street  cur  traffic,  flu- 
network  of  subsurface  structures,  and  the  high  buildings  making  this  one  of  the  most  difficult  portions  of  the 
road  to  build.  The  street  traffic  is  so  great  that  it  was  decided  that  during  the  daytime  the  surface  of  the 
street  should  be  maintained  in  a  condition  suitable  for  ordinary  traffic.  This  was  accomplished  by  making 
openings  in  the  sidewalk  near  the  curb,  at  two  points,  and  erecting  temporary  working  platforms  over  the 
street  16  feet  from  the  surface.  The  excavations  are  made  by  the  ordinary  drift  and  tunnel  method.  The 
excavated  material  is  hoisted  from  the  openings  to  the  platforms  and  passed  through  chutes  to  wagons.  On 
the  street  surface,  over  and  in  advance  of  the  excavations,  temporary  plank  decks  are  placed  and  maintained 
during  the  drifting  and  tunneling  operations,  and  after  the  permanent  subway  structure  has  been  erected  up 
to  the  time  when  the  street  surface  is  permanently  restored.  The  roof  of  the  subway  is  about  5  feet  from  the 
surface  of  the  street,  which  has  made  it  necessary  to  care  for  the  gas  and  water  mains.  This  has  been  done 
by  carrying  the  mains  on  temporary  trestle  structures  over  the  sidewalks.  The  mains  will  be  restored  to 
their  former  position  when  the  subway  structure  is  complete. 

From  Bowling  Green,  south  along  Broadway,  State  Street  and  in  Battery  Park,  where  the  subway  is  of 
reinforced  concrete  construction,  the  "  open  cut  and  cover  "  method  is  employed,  the  elevated  and  surface 
railroad  structures  being  temporarily  supported  by  wooden  and  steel  trusses  and  finally  supported  by  perma- 
nent foundations  resting  on  the  subway  roof.  From  Battery  Place,  south  along  the  loop  work,  the  greater 
portion  of  the  excavation  is  made  below  mean  high-water  level,  and  necessitates  the  use  of  heavy  tongue  and 
grooved  sheeting  and  the  operation  of  two  centrifugal  pumps,  day  and  night. 

The  tubes  under  the  East  River,  including  the  approaches,  are  each  6,544  feet  in  length.  The  tunnel 
consists  of  two  cast-iron  tubes  15*^  feet  diameter  inside,  the  lining  being  constructed  of  cast-iron  plates,  cir- 
cular in  shape,  bolted  together  and  reinforced  by  grouting  outside  of  the  plates  and  beton  filling  on  the  in- 
side to  the  depth  of  the  flanges.  The  tubes  are  being  constructed  under  air  pressure  through  solid  rock 
from  the  Manhattan  side  to  the  middle  of  the  East  River  by  the  ordinary  rock  tunnel  drift  method,  and  on 
the  Brooklyn  side  through  sand  and  silt  by  the  use  of  hydraulic  shields.  Four  shields  have  been  installed, 
weighing  51  tons  each.  They  are  driven  by  hydraulic  pressure  of  about  2,000  tons.  The  two  shields  drift- 
ing to  the  center  of  the  river  from  Garden  Place  are  in  water-bearing  sand  and  are  operated  under  air  pies 
sure.  The  river  tubes  are  on  a  3.1  per  cent,  grade  and  in  the  center  of  the  river  will  reach  the  deepest  point, 
about  94  feet  below  mean  high-water  level. 

The  typical  subway  of  reinforced  concrete  from  Clinton  Street  to  the  Flatbush  Avenue  terminus  is  being 
constructed  by  the  method  commonly  used  on  the  Manhattan-Bronx  route.  From  Borough  Hall  to  the 
terminus  the  route  of  the  subway  is  directly  below  an  elevated  railway  structure,  which  is  temporarily  supported 
by  timber  bracing,  having  its  bearing  on  the  street  surface  and  the  tunnel  timbers.  The  permanent  support 
will  be  masonry  piers  built  upon  the  roof  of  the  subway  structure.  Along  this  portion  of  the  route  are  street 
surface  electric  roads,  but  they  are  operated  by  overhead  trolley  and  the  tracks  are  laid  on  ordinary  ties.  It 
has,  therefore,  been  much  less  difficult  to  care  for  them  during  the  construction  of  the  subway.  Work  is 
being  prosecuted  on  the  Brooklyn  Extension  day  and  night,  and  in  Brooklyn  the  excavation  is  made  much 
more  rapidly  by  employing  the  street  surface  trolley  roads  to  remove  the  excavated  material.  Spur  tracks 
have  been  built  and  flat  cars  are  used,  much  of  the  removal  being  done  at  night. 


r        AH 

T 

-JL     rh 


CHAPTER     III 
POWER    HOUSE    BUILDING 

E  power  house  is  situated  adjacent  to  the  North  River  on  the  block  bounded  by  West  58th  Street, 
West  59th  Street,  Eleventh  Avenue,  and  Twelfth  Avenue.  The  plans  were  adopted  after  a 
thorough  study  by  the  engineers  of  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  of  all  the  large  power 


houses  already  completed  and  of  the  designs  of  the  large  power  houses  in  process  of  construction  in  America 
and  abroad.  The  building  is  large,  and  when  fully  equipped  it  will  be  capable  of  producing  more  power 
than  any  electrical  plant  ever  built,  and  the  study  of  the  designs  of  other  power  houses  throughout  the 
world  was  pursued  with  the  principal  object  of  reducing  to  a  minimum  the  possibility  of  interruption  of 
service  in  a  plant  producing  the  great  power  required. 

The  type  of  power  house  adopted  provides  for  a  single  row  of  large  engines  and  electric  generators, 
contained  within  an  operating  room  placed  beside  a  boiler  house,  with  a  capacity  of  producing,  approximately, 
not  less  than  100,000  horse  power  when  the  machinery  is  being  operated  at  normal  rating. 

The  work  of  preparing  the  detailed  plans  of  the  power  house  structure  was,  in  the  main,  completed    Location 
early  in  1902,  and  resulted  in  the  present  plan,  which  may  briefly  be  described  as  follows  :    The  structure  is  and  General 
divided  into  two  main  parts  —  an  operating  room  and  a  boiler  house,  with  a  partition  wall  between  the  two   Plan   of 
sections.    The  face  of  the  structure  on  Eleventh  Avenue  is  200  feet  wide,  of  which  width  the  boiler  house  takes   Power  House 
83  feet  and  the  operating  section  117  feet.     The  operating  room  occupies  the  northerly  side  of  the  structure 
and  the  boiler  house  the  southerly  side.     The  designers  were  enabled  to  employ  a  contour  of  roof  and  wall 
section  for  the  northerly  side  that  was  identical  with  the  roof  and  wall  contour  of  the  southerly  side,  so  that 
the  building,  when  viewed  from  either  end,  presents  a  symmetrical  appearance  with  both  sides  of  the  building 
alike  in  form  and  design.    The  operating  room  section  is  practically  symmetrical  in  its  structure,  with  respect 
to  its  center;  it  consists  of  a  central  area,  with  a  truss  roof  over  same  along  with  galleries  at  both  sides. 
The  galleries   along  the   northerly   side   are   primarily   for  the  electrical  apparatus,  while  those  along  the 
southerly  side  are  given  up  chiefly  to  the  steam-pipe  equipment.     The  boiler  room  section  is  also  practically 
symmetrical  with  respect  to  its  center. 

A  sectional  scheme  of  the  power  house  arrangement  was  determined  on,  by  which  the  structure  was  to 
consist  of  five  generating  sections,  each  similar  to  the  others  in  all  its  mechanical  details;  hut,  at  a  later  date, 
a  sixth  section  was  added,  with  space  on  the  lot  for  a  seventh  section.  Each  section  embraces  one  chimney 
along  with  the  following  generating  equipment:  —  twelve  boilers,  two  engines,  each  direct  connected  to  a 
5,000  kilowatt  alternator;  two  condensing  equipments,  two  boiler-feed  pumps,  two  smoke-flue  systems,  and 
detail  apparatus  necessary  to  make  each  section  complete  in  itself.  The  only  variation  is  the  turbine  plant 
hereafter  referred  to.  In  addition  to  the  space  occupied  by  the  sections,  an  area  was  set  aside,  at  the  Eleventh 
Avenue  end  of  the  structure,  for  the  passage  of  the  railway  spur  from  the  New  York  Central  tracks.  The 


CROSS    SECTION    Or    POWER    HOUSE    IN    PERSPECTIVE 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  69 


THE       SUBWAY 


total  length  of  the  original  five-section  power  house  was  585  feet  gl/2  inches,  but  the  additional  section  after- 
wards added  makes  the  over  all  length  of  the  structure  693  feet  9^  inches.  In  the  fourth  section  it  was 
decided  to  omit  a  regular  engine  with  its  5,000  kilowatt  generator,  and  in  its  place  substitute  a  5,000  kilowatt 
lighting  and  exciter  outfit.  Arrangements  were  made,  however,  so  that  this  outfit  can  afterward  be  replaced 
by  a  regular  5,000  kilowatt  traction  generator. 

The  plan  of  the  power  station  included  a  method  of  supporting  the  chimneys  on  steel  columns,  instead 
of  erecting  them  through  the  building,  which  modification  allowed  for  the  disposal  of  boilers  in  spaces 
which  would  otherwise  be  occupied  by  the  chimney  bases.  By  this  arrangement  it  was  possible  to  place  all 
the  boilers  on  one  floor  level.  The  economizers  were  placed  above  the  boilers,  instead  of  behind  them, 
which  made  a  material  saving  in  the  width  of  the  boiler  room.  This  saving  permitted  the  setting  aside  of 
the  aforementioned  gallery  at  the  side  of  the  operating  room,  closed  off  from  both  boiler  and  engine  rooms, 
for  the  reception  of  the  main-pipe  systems  and  for  a  pumping  equipment  below  it. 

The  advantages  of  the  plan  can  be  enumerated  briefly  as  follows  :  The  main  engines,  combined  with 
their  alternators,  lie  in  a  single  row  along  the  center  line  of  the  operating  room  with  the  steam  or  operating 
end  of  each  engine  facing  the  boiler  house  and  the  opposite  end  toward  the  electrical  switching  and 
controlling  apparatus  arranged  along  the  outside  wall.  Within  the  area  between  the  boiler  house  and 
operating  room  there  is  placed,  for  each  engine,  its  respective  complement  of  pumping  apparatus,  all 
controlled  by  and  under  the  operating  jurisdiction  of  the  engineer  for  that  engine.  Each  engineer  has  thus 
full  control  of  the  pumping  machinery  required  for  his  unit.  Symmetrically  arranged  with  respect  to  the 
center  line  of  each  engine  are  the  six  boilers  in  the  boiler  room,  and  the  piping  from  these  six  boilers  forms 
a  short  connection  between  the  nozzles  on  the  boilers  and  the  throttles  on  the  engine.  The  arrangement  of 
piping  is  alike  for  each  engine,  which  results  in  a  piping  system  of  maximum  simplicity  that  can  be 
controlled,  in  the  event  of  difficulty,  with  a  degree  of  certainty  not  possible  with  a  more  complicated  system. 
The  main  parts  of  the  steam-pipe  system  can  be  controlled  from  outside  this  area. 

The  single  tier  of  boilers  makes  it  possible  to  secure  a  high  and  well  ventilated  boiler  room  with 
ventilation  into  a  story  constructed  above  it,  aside  from  that  afforded  by  the  windows  themselves.  The 
boiler  room  will  therefore  be  cool  in  warm  weather  and  light,  and  all  difficulties  from  escaping  steam  will  be 
minimized.  In  this  respect  the  boiler  room  will  be  superior  to  corresponding  rooms  in  plants  of  older 
construction,  where  they  are  low,  dark,  and  often  very  hot  during  the  summer  season.  The  placing  of  the 
economizers,  with  their  auxiliary  smoke  flue  connections,  in  the  economizer  room,  all  symmetrically  arranged 
with  respect  to  each  chimney,  removes  from  the  boiler  room  an  element  of  disturbance  and  makes  it  possible 
to  pass  directly  from  the  boiler  house  to  the  operating  room  at  convenient  points  along  the  length  of  the 
power  house  structure.  The  location  of  each  chimney  in  the  center  of  the  boiler  house  between  sets  of  six 
boilers  divides  the  coal  bunker  construction  into  separate  pockets  by  which  trouble  from  spontaneous 
combustion  can  be  localized,  and,  as  described  later,  the  divided  coal  bunkers  can  provide  for  the  storage 
of  different  grades  of  coal.  The  unit  basis  on  which  the  economizer  and  flue  system  is  constructed  will 
allow  making  repairs  to  any  one  section  without  shutting  off  the  portions  not  connected  directly  to  the 
section  needing  repair. 

The  floor  of  the  power  house  between  the  column  bases  is  a  continuous  mass  of  concrete  nowhere  less 
than  two  feet  thick.  The  massive  concrete  foundations  for  the  reciprocating  engines  contain  each  1,400  yards 


(I  I 


! 


"*• .' 


-;£;_/ CITY  DATUM  =0,0 


100 

— I 


Scale  of  Feet. 

POWER    HOUSE 


McGriw  Publishing  Co.,  Niw  York  City. 


PAGE  72INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


of  concrete  above  mean  high  water  level,  and  in  some  cases  have  twice  as  much  below  that  point.     The 
total  amount  of  concrete  in  the  foundations  of  the  finished  power  house  is  about  80,000  yards. 

Water  for  condensing  purposes  is  drawn  from  the  river  and  discharged  into  it  through  two  monolithic 
concrete  tunnels  parallel  to  the  axis  of  the  building.  The  intake  conduit  has  an  oval  interior,  10x8'^  feet 
in  size,  and  a  rectangular  exterior  cross-section ;  the  outflow  tunnel  has  a  horseshoe-shape  cross-section  and 
is  built  on  top  of  the  intake  tunnel.  These  tunnels  were  built  throughout  in  open  trench,  which,  at  the 
shore  end,  was  excavated  in  solid  rock.  At  the  river  end  the  excavation  was,  at  some  places,  almost  entirely 
through  the  fill  and  mud  and  was  made  in  a  cofferdam  composed  chiefly  of  sheet  piles.  As  it  was  impossible 
to  drive  these  piles  across  the  old  timber  crib  which  formed  the  old  dock  front,  the  latter  was  cut  through 
by  a  pneumatic  caisson  of  wooden-stave  construction,  which  formed  part  of  one  side  of  the  cofferdam.  At 
the  river  end  of  the  cofferdam  the  rock  was  so  deep  that  the  concrete  could  not  be  carried  down  to  its  sur- 
face, and  the  tunnel  section  was  built  on  a  foundation  of  piles  driven  to  the  rock  and  cut  off"  by  a  steam  saw 
19^2  feet  below  mean  hightide.  This  section  of  the  tunnel  was  built  in  a  65  x  48-foot  floating  caisson  24 
feet  deep.  The  concrete  was  rammed  in  it  around  the  moulds  and  the  sides  were  braced  as  it  sunk.  After 
the  tunnel  sections  were  completed,  the  caisson  was  sunk,  by  water  ballast,  to  a  bearing  on  the  pile  foundation. 

Adjacent  to  the  condensing  water  conduits  is  the  10  x  1 5-foot  rectangular  concrete  tunnel,  through 
which  the  underground  coal  conveyor  is  installed  between  the  shore  end  of  the  pier  and  the  power  house. 

1'ne  steel  structure  of  the  power  house  is  independent  of  the  walls,  the  latter  being  self-supporting  and 
used  as  bearing  walls  only  for  a  few  of  the  beams  in  the  first  floor.  Although  structurally  a  single  building, 
in  arrangement  it  is  essentially  two,  lying  side  by  side  and  separated  by  a  brick  division  wall. 

There  are  58  transverse  and  9  longitudinal  rows  of  main  columns,  the  longitudinal  spacing  being  18  feet 
and  36  feet  for  different  rows,  with  special  bracing  in  the  boiler  house  to  accommodate  the  arrangement  of 
boilers.  The  columns  are  mainly  of  box  section,  made  up  of  rolled  or  built  channels  and  cover  plates.  They 
are  supported  by  cast-iron  bases,  resting  on  the  granite  capstones  of  the  concrete  foundation  piers. 

Both  the  boiler  house  and  the  engine  house  have  five  tiers  of  floor  framing  below  the  flat  portion  of  the 
roof,  the  three  upper  tiers  of  the  engine  house  forming  galleries  on  each  side  of  the  operating  room,  which  is 
clear  for  the  full  height  of  the  building. 

The  boiler  house  floors  are,  in  general,  framed  with  transverse  plate  girders  and  longitudinal  rolled 
beams,  arranged  to  suit  the  particular  requirements  of  the  imposed  loads  of  the  boilers,  economizers,  coal, 
etc.,  while  the  engine  room  floors  and  pipe  and  switchboard  galleries  are  in  general  framed  with  longitudinal 
plate  girders  and  transverse  beams. 

There  are  seven  coal  bunkers  in  the  boiler  house,  of  which  five  are  77  feet  and  two  41  feet  in  length  by 
60  feet  in  width  at  the  top,  the  combined  maximum  capacity  being  18,000  tons.  The  bunkers  are  separated 
from  each  other  by  the  six  chimneys  spaced  along  the  center  line  of  the  boiler  house.  The  bottom  of  the 
bunkers  are  at  the  fifth  floor,  at  an  elevation  of  about  66  feet  above  the  basement.  The  bunkers  are  con- 
structed with  double,  transverse,  plate  girder  frames  at  each  line  of  columns,  combined  with  struts  and  ties, 
which  balance  the  outward  thrust  of  the  coal  against  the  sides.  The  frames  form  the  outline  of  the  bunkers 
with  slides  sloping  at  45  degrees,  and  carry  longitudinal  I-beams,  between  which  are  built  concrete  arches, 
remforced  with  expanded  metal,  the  whole  surface  being  filled  with  concrete  over  the  tops  of  the  beams  and 
given  a  two-inch  granolithic  finish. 


J1TH.  AVCMUE 


» VENUE 


PAGE  74    I    N   T   E   R   B   O   R   0    U    G   H  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


The  six  chimneys,  spaced  108  feet  apart,  and  occupying  the  space  between  the  ends  of  the  adjacent 
cc;al  bunkers,  are  supported  on  plate-girder  platforms  in  the  fifth  floor,  leaving  the  space  below  clear  for  a 
symmetrical  arrangement  of  the  boilers  and  economizers  from  end  to  end  of  the  building.  The  platforms 
are  framed  of  single-web  girders  8  feet  deep,  thoroughly  braced  and  carrying  on  their  top  Manxes  a  grillage 
of  20-inch  I-beam.  A  system  of  bracing  for  both  the  chimney  platforms  and  coal  bunkers  is  carried  down  to 
the  foundations  in  traverse  planes  about  30  feet  apart. 

The  sixth  tier  of  beams  constitute  a  flat  roof  over  a  portion  of  the  building  at  the  center  and  sides. 
In  the  engine  room,  at  this  level,  which  is  64  feet  above  the  engine-room  floor,  are  provided  the  two  longi- 
tudinal lines  of  crane  runway  girders  upon  which  are  operated  the  engine-room  cranes.  Runways  for 
lo-ton  hand  cranes  are  also  provided  for  the  full  length  of  the  boiler  room,  and  for  nearly  the  full  length  of 
the  north  panel  in  the  engine  room. 

Some  of  the  loads  carried  by  the  steel  structure  are  as  follows:  In  the  engine  house,  operating  on  the 
longitudinal  runways  as  mentioned,  are  one  6o-ton  and  one  25-ton  electric  traveling  crane  of  75  feet  span. 
The  imposed  loads  of  the  steam-pipe  galleries  on  the  south  side  and  the  switchboard  galleries  on  the  north 
side  are  somewhat  irregularly  distributed,  but  are  equivalent  to  uniform  loads  of  250  to  400  pounds  per 
square  foot.  In  the  boiler  house  the  weight  of  coal  carried  is  about  45  tons  per  longitudinal  foot  of  the 
building;  the  weight  of  the  brick  chimneys  is  1,200  tons  each;  economizers,  with  brick  setting,  about  4^ 
tons  per  longitudinal  foot;  suspended  weight  of  the  boilers  96  tons  each,  and  the  weight  of  the  boiler 
setting,  carried  on  the  first  floor  framing,  160  tons  each.  The  weight  of  structural  steel  used  in  the  com- 
pleted building  is  about  11,000  tons. 

Power  House  1 ne   design   of  the   facework   of  the   power   house   received   the   personal   attention  of   the    directors 

Superstructure  °f  tne  company,  and  its  character  and  the  class  of  materials  to  be  employed  were  carefully  considered. 
'I  he  influence  of  the  design  on  the  future  value  of  the  property  and  the  condition  of  the  environment  in 
general  were  studied,  together  with  the  factors  relating  to  the  future  ownership  of  the  plant  by  the  city. 
Several  plans  were  taken  up  looking  to  the  construction  of  a  power  house  of  massive  and  simple  design,  but 
it  was  finally  decided  to  adopt  an  ornate  style  of  treatment  by  which  the  structure  would  be  rendered 
architecturally  attractive  and  in  harmony  with  the  recent  tendencies  of  municipal  and  city  improvements 
from  an  architectural  standpoint.  At  the  initial  stage  of  the  power  house  design  Mr.  Stanford  White,  of 
the  firm  of  McKim,  Mead  &  White,  of  New  York,  volunteered  his  services  to  the  company  as  an  adviser 
on  the  matter  of  the  design  of  the  facework,  and,  as  his  offer  was  accepted,  his  connection  with  the  work  has 
resulted  in  the  development  of  the  present  exterior  design  and  the  selection  of  the  materials  used. 

The  Eleventh  Avenue  fa£ade  is  the  most  elaborately  treated,  but  the  scheme  of  the  main  fa$ade  is 
carried  along  both  the  5 8th  and  59th  Street  fronts.  The  westerly  end  of  the  structure,  facing  the  river,  may 
ultimately  be  removed  in  case  the  power  house  is  extended  to  the  Twelfth  Avenue  building  line  for  the 
reception  of  fourteen  generating  equipments;  and  for  this  reason  this  wall  is  designed  plainly  of  less  costly 
material. 

The  general  style  of  the  facework  is  what  may  be  called  French  Renaissance,  and  the  color  scheme  has, 
therefore,  been  made  rather  light  in  character.  The  base  of  the  exterior  walls  has  been  finished  with  cut 
granite  up  to  the  water  table,  above  which  they  have  been  laid  up  with  a  light  colored  buff  pressed  brick. 
This  brick  has  been  enriched  by  the  use  of  similarly  colored  terra-cotta,  which  appears  in  the  pilasters,  about 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  75 


THE       SUBWAY 


the  windows,  in  the  several  entablatures,  and  in  the  cornice  and  parapet  work.  The  Eleventh  Avenue  facade 
is  further  enriched  by  marble  medallions,  framed  with  terra-cotta,  and  by  a  title  panel  directly  over  the  front 
of  the  structure. 

• 

The  main  entrance  to  the  structure  is  situated  at  its  northeast  corner,  and,  as  the  railroad  track  passes 
along  just  inside  the  building,  the  entrance  proper  is  the  doorway  immediately  beyond  the  track,  and  opens 
into  the  entrance  lobby.  The  doorway  is  trimmed  with  cut  granite  and  the  lobby  is  finished  with  a 
marble  wainscoting. 

The  interior  of  the  operating  room  is  faced  with  a  light,  cream-colored  pressed  brick  with  an  enameled 
brick  wainscoting,  eight  feet  high,  extending  around  the  entire  operating  area;  the  wainscoting  is  white 
except  for  a  brown  border  and  base.  The  offices,  the  toilets  and  locker  rooms  are  finished  and  fitted  with 
materials  in  harmony  with  the  high-class  character  of  the  building.  The  masonry-floor  construction  consists 
of  concrete  reinforced  with  expanded  metal,  and  except  where  iron  or  other  floor  plates  are  used,  or  where 
tile  or  special  flooring  is  laid,  the  floor  is  covered  with  a  hard  cement  granolithic  finish. 

In  the  design  of  the  interior  arrangements,  the  value  of  a  generous  supply  of  stairways  was  appreciated, 
in  order  that  all  parts  of  the  structure  might  be  made  readily  accessible,  especially  in  the  boiler  house  section. 
In  the  boiler  house  and  machinery  portion  of  the  plant  the  stairways,  railings,  and  accessories  are  plainly  but 
strongly  constructed.  The  main  stairways  are,  however,  of  somewhat  ornate  design,  with  marble  and  other 
trim  work,  and  the  railings  of  the  main  gallery  construction  are  likewise  of  ornate  treatment.  All  exterior 
doors  and  trim  are  of  metal  and  all  interior  carpenter  work  is  done  with  Kalomein  iron  protection,  so  that 
the  building,  in  its  strictest  sense,  will  contain  no  combustible  material. 

The  complete  12-unit  power  house  will  have  six  chimneys,  spaced  108  feet  apart  on  the  longitudinal  Chimneys 
center  line  of  the  boiler  room,  each  chimney  being  15  feet  in  inside  diameter  at  the  top,  which  is  225  feet 
above  the  grate  bars.  Each  will  serve  the  twelve  boilers  included  in  the  section  of  which  it  is  the  center, 
these  boilers  having  an  aggregate  of  72,000  square  feet  of  heating  surface.  By  these  dimensions  each 
chimney  has  a  fair  surplus  capacity,  and  it  is  calculated  that,  with  economizers  in  the  path  of  the  furnace 
gases,  there  will  be  sufficient  draft  to  meet  a  demand  slightly  above  the  normal  rating  of  the  boilers. 
To  provide  for  overload  capacity,  as  may  be  demanded  by  future  conditions,  a  forced  draft  system  will  be 
supplied,  as  described  later. 

As  previously  stated,  the  chimneys  are  all  supported  upon  the  steel  structure  of  the  building  at  an  ele- 
vation of  76  feet  above  the  basement  floor  and  63  feet  above  the  grates.  The  supporting  platforms  are,  in 
each  case,  carried  on  six  of  the  building  columns  (the  three  front  columns  of  two  groups  of  boilers 
on  opposite  sides  of  the  center  aisle  of  the  boiler  room),  and  each  platform  is  composed  of  single-web  plate 
girders,  well  braced  and  surmounted  by  a  grillage  of  2O-inch  I-beams.  The  grillage  is  filled  solidly  with 
concrete  and  flushed  smooth  on  top  to  receive  the  brickwork  of  the  chimney. 

Each  chimney  is  162  feet  in  total  height  of  brickwork  above  the  top  of  the  supporting  platform,  and  each 
chimney  is  23  feet  square  in  the  outside  dimension  at  the  base,  changing  to  an  octagonal  form  at  a  point  14 
feet  3  inches  above  the  base.  This  octagonal  form  is  carried  to  a  height  of  32  feet  6  inches  above  the  base, 
at  which  point  the  circular  section  of  radial  brick  begins. 

The  octagonal  base  of  the  chimney  is  of  hard-burned  red  brick  three  feet  in  thickness  between  the  side  of 
the  octagon  and  the  interior  circular  section.  The  brick  work  is  started  from  the  top  of  the  grillage  platform 


PAGE  76INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


North  River 
Pier 


with  a  steel  channel  curb,  three  feet  in  depth,  through  which  two  lines  of  steel  rods  are  run  in  each  direction, 
thus  binding  together  the  first  three  feet  of  brickwork,  and  designed  to  prevent  any  flaking  at  the  outside. 
At  a  level  of  three  feet  above  the  bottom  of  the  brickwork,  a  layer  of  water-proofing  is  placed  over  the 
interior  area  and  covered  with  two  courses  of  brick,  upon  which  are  built  diagonal  brick  walls,  4  inches  thick, 
12  inches  apart,  and  about  18  inches  in  height.  These  walls  are  themselves  perforated  at  intervals,  and  the 
whole  is  covered  with  hand-burned  terra-cotta  blocks,  thus  forming  a  cellular  air  space,  which  communicates 
with  the  exterior  air  and  serves  as  an  insulation  against  heat  for  the  steelwork  beneath.  A  single  layer  of 
firebrick  completes  the  flooring  of  the  interior  area,  which  is  also  flush  with  the  bottom  of  the  flue  openings. 

There  are  two  flue  openings,  diametrically  opposite,  and  6  feet  wide  by  17  feet  high  to  the  crown  of  the 
arched  top.  They  are  lined  with  fire  brick,  which  joins  the  fire-brick  lining  of  the  interior  of  the  shaft,  this 
latter  being  bonded  to  the  red-brick  walls  to  a  point  6  feet  below  the  top  of  the  octagon,  and  extended  above 
for  a  height  of  14  feet  within  the  circular  shaft,  as  an  inner  shell.  The  usual  baffle  wall  is  provided  of  fire 
brick,  13  inches  thick,  extending  diagonally  across  the  chimney,  and  4  feet  above  the  tops  of  the  flue  openings. 

Where  the  chimney  passes  through  the  roof  of  the  boiler  house,  a  steel  plate  and  angle  curb,  which 
clears  the  chimney  by  6  inches  at  all  points,  is  provided  in  connection  with  the  roof  framing.  This  is  covered 
by  a  hood  flashed  into  the  brickwork,  so  that  the  roof  has  no  connection  with  or  bearing  upon  the  chimney. 

At  a  point  4  feet  6  inches  below  the  cap  of  the  chimney  the  brickwork  is  corbeled  out  for  several  courses, 
forming  a  ledge,  around  the  outside  of  which  is  placed  a  wrought-iron  railing,  thus  forming  a  walkway 
around  the  circumference  of  the  chimney  top.  The  cap  is  of  cast  iron,  surmounted  by  eight  3  x  i-inch  wrought- 
iron  ribs,  bent  over  the  outlet  and  with  pointed  ends  gathered  together  at  the  center.  The  lightning 
conductors  are  carried  down  the  outside  of  the  shaft  to  the  roof  and  thence  to  the  ground  outside  of  the  build- 
ing. Galvanized  iron  ladder  rungs  were  built  in  the  brickwork,  for  ladders  both  inside  and  outside  the  shaft. 

The  chimneys,  except  for  the  octagonal  red-brick  base,  are  constructed  of  the  radial  perforated  bricks. 
The  lightning  rods  are  tipped  with  pointed  platinum  points  about  18  inches  long. 

Exceptional  facilities  have  been  provided  for  the  unloading  of  coal  from  vessels,  or  barges,  which  can  be 
brought  to  the  northerly  side  of  the  recently  constructed  pier  at  the  foot  of  West  f8th  Street.  The  pier  was 
specially  built  by  the  Department  of  Docks  and  Ferries  and  is  700  feet  long  and  60  feet  wide. 

The  pier  construction  includes  a  special  river  wall  across  fSth  Street  at  the  bulkhead  line  through  which 
the  condensing  water  will  be  taken  from  and  returned  to  the  river.  Immediately  outside  the  river  wall  and 
beneath  the  deck  of  the  pier,  there  is  a  system  of  screens  through  which  the  intake  water  is  passed.  On  each 
side  where  the  water  enters  the  screen  chamber,  is  a  heavy  steel  grillage;  inside  this  is  a  system  of  fine  screens 
arranged  so  that  the  several  screens  can  be  raised,  by  a  special  machine,  for  the  purpose  of  cleaning.  The 
advantages  of  a  well-designed  screening  outfit  has  been  appreciated,  and  considerable  care  has  been  exercised 
to  make  it  as  reliable  and  effective  as  possible. 

At  each  side  of  the  center  of  the  pier,  just  below  the  deck,  there  are  two  discharge  water  conduits 
constructed  of  heavy  timber,  to  conduct  the  warm  water  from  the  condensers  away  from  the  cold  water  intakes 
at  the  screens.  Two  water  conduits  are  employed,  in  order  that  one  may  be  repaired  or  renewed  while  using 
the  other;  in  fact,  the  entire  pier  is  constructed  with  the  view  of  renewal  without  interference  in  the  operation 
for  which  it  was  provided. 


CHAPTER     IV 

POWER    PLANT    FROM    COAL    PILE    TO    SHAFTS    OF    ENGINES    AND    TURBINES 

FROM   the  minute  and  specific  description  in  Chapter  III,  a  clear  idea  will   have  been  obtained  of 
the  power  house  building  and  its  adjuncts,  as  well  as  of  the  features  which  not  only  go  to  make  it 
an  architectural  landmark,  but  which  adapt  it  specifically  for  the  vital  function  that  it  is  called  upon 
to  perform.      We  now  come  to  a  review  and  detailed  description  of  the  power  plant  equipment  in  its  general 
relation  to  the  building,  and  "follow  the  power  through"  from  the  coal  pile  to  the  shafts  of  the  engines  or 
steam  turbines  attached  to  the  dynamos  which  generate  current  for  power  and  for  light. 

The  elements  of  the  coal  handling  equipment  comprise  a  movable  electric  hoisting  tower  with  crushing  £7<?#/  and 
and  weighing  apparatus  —  a  system  of  horizontal  belt  conveyors,  with  jo-inch  belts,  to  carry  the  crushed  and 
weighed  coal  along  the  dock  and  thence  by  tunnel  underground  to  the  southwest  corner  of  the  power  house; 
a  system  of  jo-inch  belt  conveyors  to  elevate  the  coal  a  distance  of  1 10  feet  to  the  top  of  the  boiler  house, 
at  the  rate  of  250  tons  per  hour  or  more,  if  so  desired,  and  a  system  of  2o-inch  belt  conveyors  to  distribute 
it  horizontally  over  the  coal  bunkers.  These  conveyors  have  automatic  self  reversing  trippers,  which 
distribute  the  coal  evenly  in  the  bunkers.  For  handling  different  grades  of  coal,  distributing  conveyors  are 
arranged  underneath  the  bunkers  for  delivering  the  coal  from  a  particular  bunker  through  gates  to  the 
downtake  hoppers  in  front  of  the  boilers,  as  hereafter  described. 

The  equipment  for  removing  ashes  from  the  boiler  room  basement  and  for  storing  and  delivering  the 
ashes  to  barges,  comprises  the  following  elements  :  A  system  of  tracks,  24  inches  gauge,  extending  under 
the  ash-hopper  gates  in  the  boiler-house  cellar  and  extending  to  an  elevated  storage  bunker  at  the  water  front. 
The  rolling  stock  consists  of  24  steel  cars  of  2  tons  capacity,  having  gable  bottoms  and  side  dumping 
doors.  Each  car  has  two  four-wheel  pivoted  trucks  with  springs.  Motive  power  is  supplied  by 
an  electric  storage  battery  locomotive.  The  cars  deliver  the  ashes  to  an  elevating  belt  conveyor,  which  fills 
the  ash  bunker.  This  will  contain  1,000  tons,  and  is  built  of  steel  with  a  suspension  bottom  lined  with 
concrete.  For  delivering  stored  ashes  to  barges,  a  collecting  belt  extends  longitudinally  under  the  pocket, 
being  fed  by  eight  gates.  It  delivers  ashes  to  a  loading  belt  conveyor,  the  outboard  end  of  which  is  hinged 
so  as  to  vary  the  height  of  delivery  and  to  fold  up  inside  the  wharf  line  when  not  in  use. 

The  coal  handling  system  in  question  was  adopted  because  any  serious  interruption  of  service  would  be 
of  short  duration,  as  any  belt,  or  part  of  the  belt  mechanism,  could  quickly  be  repaired  or  replaced.  The 
system  also  possessed  advantages  with  respect  to  the  automatic  even  distribution  of  coal  in  the  bunkers,  by 
means  of  the  self  reversing  trippers.  These  derive  their  power  from  the  conveying  belts.  Each  conveyor 
has  a  rotary  cleaning  brush  to  cleanse  the  belt  before  it  reaches  the  driving  pulley  and  they  are  all  driven  by 
induction  motors. 

The    tower   frame   and    boom    are   steel.      The    tower   rolls  on    two  rails  along  the  dock   and   is   self- 


PAGE  78INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


Coal 
Downtakes 


propelling.  The  lift  is  unusually  short;  for  the  reason  that  the  weighing  apparatus  is  removed  horizontally 
to  one  side  in  a  separate  house,  instead  of  lying  vertically  below  the  crusher.  This  arrangement  reduces  by 
40  per  cent,  the  lift  of  the  bucket,  which  is  of  the  clam-shell  type  of  forty-four  cubic  feet  capacity.  The 
motive  power  for  operating  the  bucket  is  perhaps  the  most  massive  and  powerful  ever  installed  for  such 
service.  The  main  hoist  is  directly  connected  to  a  200  horse-power  motor  with  a  special  system  of 
control.  The  trolley  engine  for  hauling  the  bucket  along  the  boom  is  also  direct  coupled  to  a  multipolar 
motor. 

The  receiving  hopper  has  a  large  throat,  and  a  steel  grizzly  in  it  which  sorts  out  coal  small  enough  for 
the  stokers  and  bypasses  it  around  the  crusher.  The  crusher  is  of  the  two-roll  type,  with  relieving  springs, 
and  is  operated  by  a  motor,  which  is  also  used  for  propelling  the  tower.  The  coal  is  weighed  in  duplex 
two-ton  hoppers. 

Special  attention  has  been  given  to  providing  for  the  comfort  and  safety  of  the  operators.  The  cabs 
have  baywindow  fronts,  to  enable  the  men  to  have  an  unobstructed  view  of  the  bucket  at  all  times  without 
peering  through  slots  in  the  floor.  Walks  and  hand  lines  are  provided  on  both  sides  of  the  boom  for  safe 
inspection.  The  running  ropes  pass  through  hardwood  slides,  which  cover  the  slots  in  the  engine  house 
roof  to  exclude  rain  and  snow. 

This  type  of  motive  power  was  selected  in  preference  to  trolley  locomotives  for  moving  the  ash  cars, 
owing  to  the  rapid  destruction  of  overhead  lines  and  rail  bonds  by  the  action  of  ashes  and  water.  The 
locomotive  consists  of  two  units,  each  of  which  has  four  driving  wheels,  and  carries  its  own  motor  and 
battery.  The  use  of  two  units  allows  the  locomotive  to  round  curves  with  very  small  overhangs,  as 
compared  with  a  single-body  locomotive.  Curves  of  12  feet  radius  can  be  turned  with  ease.  The  gross 
weight  of  the  locomotive  is  about  five  tons,  all  of  which  is  available  for  traction. 

The  coal  from  the  coal  bunkers  is  allowed  to  flow  down  into  the  boiler  room  through  two  rows  of 
downtakes,  one  on  each  side  of  the  central  gangway  or  firing  place.  Each  bunker  has  eight  cast-iron  outlets, 
four  on  each  side,  and  to  these  outlets  are  bolted  gate  valves  for  shutting  off  the  coal  from  the  corresponding 
downtakes.  From  these  gates  the  downtakes  lead  to  hoppers  which  are  on  the  economizer  floor,  and  from 
these  hoppers  the  lower  sets  of  downtakes  extend  down  to  the  boilers. 

Just  above  the  hoppers  on  the  economizer  floor  the  coal  downtakes  are  provided  with  valves  and  chutes 
to  feed  the  coal,  either  into  the  hopper  or  into  the  distributing  flight  conveyor  alongside  of  it.  These 
distributing  conveyors,  one  corresponding  with  each  row  of  downtakes,  permits  the  feeding  of  coal  from  any 
bunker  or  bunkers  to  all  the  boilers  when  desired.  They  are  the  ordinary  type  of  flight  conveyor,  capable 
of  running  in  either  direction  and  provided  with  gates  in  the  bottom  of  the  trough  for  feeding  into  the 
several  above  mentioned  hoppers.  In  order  to  eliminate  the  stresses  that  would  develop  in  a  conveyor  of 
the  full  length  of  the  building,  the  conveyors  are  of  half  the  entire  length,  with  electric  driving  engines  in 
the  center  of  each  continuous  line.  The  installation  of  this  conveyor  system,  in  connection  with  the  coal 
downtakes,  makes  it  possible  to  carry  a  high-grade  coal  in  some  of  the  bunkers  for  use  during  periods  of 
heavy  load  and  a  cheaper  grade  in  other  bunkers  for  the  periods  of  light  load. 

To  provide  means  for  shutting  off  the  coal  supply  to  each  boiler,  a  small  hopper  is  placed  just  over 
each  boiler,  and  the  downtake  feeding  into  it  is  provided  with  a  gate  at  its  lower  end.  Two  vertical 
downtakes  extend  down  from  the  boiler  hopper  to  the  boiler  room  floor  or  to  the  stokers,  as  the  case  may 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT     PAGE  79 


THE          SUBWAY  ITS  CONSTRUCTION  AND 


QUIPMENT 


WEST    END    POWER     HOUSE    IN    COURSE    OF    ERECTION 


be,  and  they  are  hinged  just  below  the  boiler  hopper  to  allow  their  being  drawn  up  out  of  the  way  when 
necessary  to  inspect  the  boiler  tubes. 

Wherever  the  direction  of  flow  of  the  coal  is  changed,  poke  holes  are  provided  in  the  downtakes  to 
enable  the  firemen  to  break  any  arching  tendency  of  the  coal  in  the  downtakes.  All  parts  of  the  downtakes 
are  of  cast  iron,  except  the  vertical  parts  in  front  of  the  boilers,  which  are  of  wrought-iron  pipe.  These  ver- 
tical downtakes  are  10  inches  in  inside  diameter,  while  all  others  are  14  inches  in  inside  diameter. 

The  main  boiler  room  is  designed  to  receive  ultimately  seventy-two  safety  water  tube  three  drum  boilers, 
each  having  6,008  square  feet  of  effective  heating  surface,  by  which  the  aggregate  heating  surface  of  the 
boiler  room  will  be  432,576  square  feet. 

There  are  fifty-two  boilers  erected  in  pairs,  or  batteries,  and  between  each  battery  is  a  passageway  five 
feet  wide.  The  boilers  are  designed  for  a  working  steam  pressure  of  225  pounds  per  square  inch  and  for  a 
hydraulic  test  pressure  of  300  pounds  per  square  inch.  Each  boiler  is  provided  with  twenty-one  vertical 
water  tube  sections,  and  each  section  is  fourteen  tubes  high.  The  tubes  are  of  lap  welded,  charcoal  iron,  4 
inches  in  diameter  and  18  feet  long.  The  drums  are  42  inches  in  diameter  and  23  feet  and  10  inches  long. 
All  parts  are  of  open-hearth  steel ;  the  shell  plates  are  %o  of  an  inch  thick  and  the  drum  head  plates 


PAGE  80 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


T   R  A   N   S   I    T 


THE       SUBWAY 


1Mfl  inch,  and  in  this  respect 
the  thickness  of  material  em- 
ployed is  slightly  in  excess  of 
standard  practice.  Another 
advance  on  standard  practice 
is  in  the  riveting  of  the  circu- 
lar seams,  these  being  lap- 
jointed  and  double  riveted. 
All  longitudinal  seams  are 
butt-strapped,  inside  and  out- 
side, and  secured  by  six  rows 
of  rivets.  Manholes  are  only 
provided  for  the  front  heads, 
and  each  front  head  is  pro- 
vided with  a  special  heavy 
bronze  pad,  for  making  con- 
nection to  the  stop  and  check 
feed  water  valve. 

The  setting  of  the  boiler 
embodies  several  special  fea- 
tures which  are  new  in  boiler 
erection.  The  boilers  are  set 
higher  up  from  the  floor  than 
in  standard  practice,  the  center 
of  the  drums  being  19  feet  above  the  floor  line.  This  feature  provides  a  higher  combustion  chamber,  for 
either  hand-fired  grates  or  automatic  stokers ;  and  for  inclined  grate  stokers  the  fire  is  carried  well 
up  above  the  supporting  girders  under  the  side  walls,  so  that  these  girders  will  not  be  heated  by 
proximity  to  the  fire. 

As  regards  the  masonry  setting,  practically  the  entire  inside  surface  exposed  to  the  hot  gases  is  lined 
with  a  high  grade  of  fire  brick.  The  back  of  the  setting,  where  the  rear  cleaning  is  done,  is  provided  with 
a  sliding  floor  plate,  which  is  used  when  the  upper  tubes  are  being  cleaned.  There  is  also  a  door  at  the  floor 
line  and  another  at  a  higher  level  for  light  and  ventilation  when  cleaning.  Over  the  tubes  arrangements  have  been 
made  for  the  reception  of  superheating  apparatus  without  changing  the  brickwork.  Where  the  brick  walls 
are  constructed,  at  each  side  of  the  building  columns  at  the  front,  cast-iron  plates  are  erected  to  a  height  of  8 
feet  on  each  side  of  the  column.  An  air  space  is  provided  between  each  cast-iron  plate  and  the  column,  which 
is  accessible  for  cleaning  from  the  boiler  front ;  the  object  of  the  plates  and  air  space  being  to  prevent  the 
transmission  of  heat  to  the  steel  columns. 

An  additional  feature  of  the  boiler  setting  consists  in  the  employment  of  a  soot  hopper,  back  of  each 
bridge  wall,  by  which  the  soot  can  be  discharged  into  ash  cars  in  the  basement.  The  main  ash  hoppers  are 
constructed  of  */£-inch  steel  plate,  the  design  being  a  double  inverted  pyramid  with  an  ash  gate  at  each  in- 


OPERAT1NG    ROOM    SHOWING    CONDENSERS POWK.R     HOt:SK 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  8l 

THE          SUBWAY  ITS  CONSTRUCTION  AND  EQUIPMENT 

verted  apex.  The  hoppers  are  well  provided  with  stiffening  angles  and  tees,  and  the  capacity  of  each  is 
about  80  cubic  feet. 

In  front  of  all  the  boilers  is  a  continuous  platform  of  open-work  cast-iron  plates,  laid  on  steel  beams,  the 
level  of  the  platform  being  8  feet  above  the  main  floor.  The  platform  connects  across  the  firing  area, 
opposite  the  walk  between  the  batteries,  and  at  these  points  this  platform  is  carried  between  the  boiler  settings. 
At  the  rear  of  the  northerly  row  of  boilers  the  platform  runs  along  the  partition  wall,  between  the  boiler 
house  and  operating  room  and  at  intervals  doorways  are  provided  which  open  into  the  pump  area.  The 
level  of  the  platform  is  even  with  that  of  the  main  operating  room  floor,  so  that  it  may  be  freely  used  by  the 
water  tenders  and  by  the  operating  engineers  without  being  obstructed  by  the  firemen  or  their  tools.  The 
platform  in  front  of  the  boilers  will  also  be  used  for  cleaning  purposes,  and,  in  this  respect,  it  will  do  away 
with  the  unsightly  and  objectionable  scaffolds  usually  employed  for  this  work.  The  water  tenders  will  also 
be  brought  nearer  to  the  water  columns  than  when  operating  on  the  main  floor.  The  feed-water  valves  will 
be  regulated  from  the  platform,  as  well  as  the  speed  of  the  boiler-feed  pumps. 

Following  European  practice,  each  boiler  is  provided  with  two  water  columns,  one  on  each  outside 
drum,  and  each  boiler  will  have  one  steam  gauge  above  the  platform  for  the  water  tenders  and  one  below  the 
platform  for  the  firemen.  The  stop  and  check  valves  on  each  boiler  drum  have  been  made  specially  heavy 
for  the  requirements  of  this  power  house,  and  this  special  increase  of  weight  has  been  applied  to  all  the  several 
minor  boiler  fittings. 

Hand-fired  grates  of  the  shaking  pattern  have  been  furnished  for  thirty-six  boilers,  and  for  each  of  these 
grates  a  special  lower  front  has  been  constructed.  These  fronts  are  of  sheet  steel,  and  the  coal  passes  down 
to  the  floor  through  two  steel  buckstays  which  have  been  enlarged  for  the  purpose.  There  are  three  firing 
doors  and  the  sill  of  each  door  is  36  inches  above  the  floor.  The  gate  area  of  the  hand-fired  grates  is  100 
square  feet,  being  8  feet  deep  by  1 2  feet  6  inches  wide. 

The  twelve  boilers,  which  will  receive  coal  from  the  coal  bunker  located  between  the  fourth  and  fifth 
chimneys,  have  been  furnished  with  automatic  stokers. 

It  is  proposed  to  employ  superheaters  to  the  entire  boiler  plant. 

The  boiler-room  ceiling  has  been  made  especially  high,  and  in  this  respect  the  room  differs  from  most 
power  houses  of  similar  construction.  The  distance  from  the  floor  to  the  ceiling  is  35  feet,  and  from  the 
floor  plates  over  the  boilers  to  the  ceiling  is  13  feet.  Over  each  boiler  is  an  opening  to  the  economizer  floor 
above,  covered  with  an  iron  grating.  The  height  of  the  room,  as  well  as  the  feature  of  these  openings,  and 
the  stairway  wells  and  with  the  large  extent  of  window  opening  in  the  south  wall,  will  make  the  room  light 
and  especially  well  ventilated.  Under  these  conditions  the  intense  heat  usually  encountered  over  boilers  will 
largely  be  obviated. 

In  addition  to  making  provisions  for  the  air  to  escape  from  the  upper  part  of  the  boiler  room,  arrange- 
ments have  been  provided  for  allowing  the  air  to  enter  at  the  bottom.  This  inflow  of  air  will  take  place 
through  the  southerly  row  of  basement  windows,  which  extend  above  the  boiler  room  floor,  and  through  the 
wrought-iron  open-work  floor  construction  extending  along  in  the  rear  of  the  northerly  row  of  boilers. 

A  noteworthy  feature  of  the  boiler  room  is  the  lo-ton  hand-power  crane,  which  travels  along  in  the 
central  aisle  through  the  entire  length  of  the  structure.  This  crane  is  used  for  erection  and  for  heavy  repair, 
and  its  use  has  greatly  assisted  the  speedy  assembling  of  the  boiler  plant. 


PAGE  82INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Blowers  and 
Air  Ducts 


Smoke  Flues 

and 

Economizers 


Steam  Piping 


In  order  to  burn  the  finer  grades  of  anthracite  coal  in  sufficient  quantities  to  obtain  boiler  rating  with 
the  hand-fired  grates,  and  in  order  to  secure  a  large  excess  over  boiler  rating  with  other  coals,  a  system  of 
blowers  and  air  ducts  has  been  provided  in  the  basement  under  the  boilers.  One  blower  is  selected  for  every 
three  boilers,  with  arrangements  for  supplying  all  six  boilers  from  one  blower. 

The  blowers  are  1 1  feet  high  above  the  floor  and  5  feet  6  inches  wide  at  the  floor  line.  Each  blower 
is  direct-connected  to  a  two  crank  75^  x  13  x  6^-inch  upright,  automatic,  compound,  steam  engine  of  the 
self-enclosed  type,  and  is  to  provide  a  sufficient  amount  of  air  to  burn  10,000  pounds  of  combustible  per 
hour  with  2  inches  of  water  pressure  in  the  ash  pits. 

The  smoke  flue  and  economizer  construction  throughout  the  building  is  of  uniform  design,  or,  in  other 
words,  the  smoke  flue  and  economizer  system  for  one  chimney  is  identical  with  that  for  every  other  chimney. 
In  each  case,  the  system  is  symmetrically  arranged  about  its  respective  chimney,  as  can  be  seen  by  reference 
to  the  plans. 

The  twelve  boilers  for  each  chimney  are  each  provided  with  two  round  smoke  uptakes,  which  carry  the 
products  of  combustion  upward  to  the  main  smoke  flue  system  on  the  economizer  floor.  A  main  smoke 
flue  is  provided  for  each  group  of  three  boilers,  and  each  pair  of  main  smoke  flues  join  together  on  the 
center  line  of  the  chimney,  where  in  each  case  one  common  flue  carries  the  gases  into  the  side  of  the 
chimney.  The  two  common  flues  last  mentioned  enter  at  opposite  sides  of  the  chimney.  The  main  flues 
are  arranged  and  fitted  with  dampers,  so  that  the  gases  can  pass  directly  to  the  chimney,  or  else  they  can  be 
diverted  through  the  economizers  and  thence  reach  the  chimney. 

The  uptakes  from  each  boiler  are  constructed  of  ^5 -inch  plate  and  each  is  lined  with  radial  hollow  brick 
4  inches  thick.  Each  is  provided  with  a  damper  which  operates  on  a  shaft  turning  in  roller  bearings.  The 
uptakes  rest  on  iron  beams  at  the  bottom,  and  at  the  top,  where  they  join  the  main  flue,  means  are  provided 
to  take  up  expansion  and  contraction. 

The  main  flue,  which  rests  on  the  economizer  floor,  is  what  might  be  called  a  steel  box,  constructed  of 
2^ -inch  plate,  6  feet  4  inches  wide  and  13  feet  high.  The  bottom  is  lined  with  brick  laid  flat  and  the  sides 
with  brick  walls  8  inches  thick,  and  the  top  is  formed  of  brick  arches  sprung  between. 

The  sectional  plan  adopted  for  the  power  house  has  made  a  uniform  and  simple  arrangement  of  steam 
piping  possible,  with  the  piping  for  each  section,  except  that  of  the  turbine  bay,  identical  with  that  for  every 
other  section.  Starting  with  the  six  boilers  for  one  main  engine,  the  steam  piping  may  be  described  as  follows: 
A  cross-over  pipe  is  erected  on  each  boiler,  by  means  of  which  and  a  combination  of  valves  and  fittings 
the  steam  may  be  passed  through  the  superheater.  In  the  delivery  from  each  boiler  there  is  a  quick-closing 
9-inch  valve,  which  can  be  closed  from  the  boiler  room  floor  by  hand  or  from  a  distant  point  individually  or 
in  groups  of  six.  Risers  with  9-inch  wrought-iron  goose  necks  connect  each  boiler  to  the  steam  main, 
where  9-inch  angle  valves  are  inserted  in  each  boiler  connection.  These  valves  can  be  closed  from  the 
platform  over  the  boilers,  and  are  grouped  three  over  one  set  of  three  boilers  and  three  over  the  opposite  set. 

The  main  from  the  six  boilers  is  carried  directly  across  the  boiler  house  in  a  straight  line  to  a  point  in 
the  pipe  area  where  it  rises  to  connect  to  the  two  1 4-inch  steam  downtakes  to  the  engine  throttles.  At  this 
point  the  steam  can  also  be  led  downward  to  a  manifold  to  which  the  compensating  tie  lines  are  connected. 
These  compensating  lines  are  run  lengthwise  through  the  power  house  for  the  purpose  of  joining  the  systems 
together,  as  desired.  The  two  downtakes  to  the  engine  throttles  drop  to  the  basement,  where  each,  through 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  83 


THE       SUBWAY.     , 


a  goose  neck,  delivers  into  a  receiver  and  separating  tank  and  from  the  tank  through  a  second  goose  neck 
into  the  corresponding  throttle. 

A  quick-closing  valve  appears  at  the  point  where  the  ly-inch  pipe  divides  into  the  two  1 4-inch  down- 
takes  and  a  similar  valve  is  provided  at  the  point  where  the  main  connects  to  the  manifold.  The  first  valve 
will  close  the  steam  to  the  engine  and  the  second  will  control  the  flow  of  steam  to  and  from  the  manifold. 
These  valves  can  be  operated  by  hand  from  a  platform  located  on  the  wall  inside  the  engine  room,  or  they 
can  be  closed  from  a  distant  point  by  hydraulic  apparatus.  In  the  event  of  accident  the  piping  to  any  engine 
can  be  quickly  cut  out  or  that  system  of  piping  can  quickly  be  disconnected  from  the  compensating  system. 
The  pipe  area  containing,  as  mentioned,  the  various  valves  described,  together  with  the  manifolds  and 
compensating  pipes,  is  divided  by  means  of  cross-walls  into  sections  corresponding  to  each  pair  of  main 
engines.  Each  section  is  thus  separated  from  those  adjoining,  so  that  any  escape  of  steam  in  one  section 
can  be  localized  and,  by  means  of  the  quick-closing  valves,  the  piping  for  the  corresponding  pair  of  main 
engines  can  be  disconnected  from  the  rest  of  the  power  house. 

All  cast  iron  used   in   the   fittings   is   called   air-furnace   iron,  which  is  a  semi-steel  and  tougher  than 

ordinary  iron.  All  line  and 
bent  pipe  is  of  wrought  iron, 
and  the  flanges  are  loose  and 
made  of  wrought  steel.  The 
shell  of  the  pipe  is  bent  over 
the  face  of  the  flange.  All 
the  joints  in  the  main  steam 
line,  above  2^£  inches  in  size, 
are  ground  joints,  metal  to 
metal,  no  gaskets  being  used. 
Unlike  the  flanges  or- 
dinarily used  in  this  country, 
special  extra  strong  propor- 
tions have  been  adopted,  and 
it  may  be  said  that  all  flanges 
and  bolts  used  are  50  per  cent, 
heavier  than  the  so-called  extra 
heavy  proportions  used  in  this 
country. 

The  feed  water  will  enter 
the  building  at  three  points, 
the  largest  water  service  being 
12  inches  in  diameter,  which 
enters  the  structure  at  its 
southeast  corner.  The  water 

VIEW    FROM    TOP    OF    CHIMNEY    SHOWING    WATER    FRONTAGE POWER    HOUSE  BlOt     paSSCS    thrOUgh    fish 


PAGE  84INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Engine  and 

Turbine 

Equipment 


and  thence  through  meters,  and  from  them  to  the  main  reservoir  tanks,  arranged  along  the  center  of  the 
boiler  house  basement.  The  water  is  allowed  to  flow  into  each  tank  by  means  of  an  automatic  float  valve. 
The  water  will  be  partly  heated  in  these  reservoir  tanks  by  means  of  hot  water  discharged  from  high-pres- 
sure steam  traps.  In  this  way  the  heat  contained  in  the  drainage  from  the  high-pressure  steam  is,  for 
the  most  part,  returned  to  the  boilers.  From  the  reservoir  tanks  the  water  is  conducted  to  the  feed-water 
pumps,  by  which  it  is  discharged  through  feed-water  heaters  where  it  is  further  heated  by  the  exhaust  steam 
from  the  condensing  and  feed-water  pumps.  From  the  feed-water  heaters  the  water  will  be  carried  direct 
to  the  boilers;  or  through  the  economizer  system  to  be  further  heated  by  the  waste  gases  from  the  boilers. 

Like  the  steam-pipe  system,  the  feed-water  piping  is  laid  out  on  the  sectional  plan,  the  piping  for  the 
several  sections  being  identical,  except  for  the  connections  from  the  street  service  to  the  reservoir  tanks. 
The  feed-water  piping  is  constructed  wholly  of  cast  iron,  except  the  piping  above  the  floor  line  to  the  boilers, 
which  is  of  extra  heavy  semi-annealed  brass  with  extra  heavy  cast-iron  fittings. 

The  engine  and  turbine  equipment  under  contract  embraces  nine  8,000  to  11,000  horsepower  main 
engines,  direct-connected  to  5,000  kilowatt  generators,  three  steam  turbines,  direct-connected  to  1,875  k''°- 
watt  lighting  generators  and  two  400  horse  power  engines,  direct-connected  to  250  kilowatt  exciter 
generators. 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  85 


THE       SUBWAY 


R         U         C 


The  main  engines  are  similar  in  type  to  those  installed  in  the  74th  Street  power  house  of  the  Main  EnP'i?ies 
Manhattan  Division  of  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company,  i.e.,  each  consists  of  two  component 
compound  engines,  both  connected  to  a  common  shaft,  with  the  generator  placed  between  the  two  component 
engines.  The  type  of  engine  is  now  well  known  and  will  not  be  described  in  detail,  but  as  a  comparison 
of  various  dimensions  and  features  of  the  Manhattan  and  Rapid  Transit  engines  may  be  of  interest,  the 
accompanying  tabulation  is  submitted  : 

Manhattan.  Rapid  Transit. 

Diameter  of  high-pressure  cylinders,  inches, • 44  42 

Diameter  of  low-pressure  cylinders,  inches,         88  86 

Stroke,  inches, 60  60 

Speed,  revolutions  per  minute,         75  75 

Steam  pressure  at  throttle,  pounds, 150  175 

Indicated  horse  power  at  best  efficiency,         7>5°°  7>5°° 

Diameter  of  low-pressure  piston  rods,  inches, 8  10 

Diameter  of  high-pressure  piston  rods,  inches,         8  10 

Diameter  of  crank  pin,  inches, 18  20 

Length  of  crank  pin,  inches, ,  18  18 

Type  of  Low-  Pressure  Valves.  Double  Ported     Single  Ported 

Type  of  High-Pressure  Valves.  Corliss  Corliss 

Corliss.        Poppet  Type. 

Diameter  of  shaft  in  journals,  inches,         34  34 

Length  of  journals,  inches, 60  60 

Diameter  of  shaft  in  hub  of  revolving  element,  inches, 37Vio  37Vio 

The  guarantees  under  which  the  main  engines  are  being  furnished,  and  which  will  govern  their  accept- 
ance by  the  purchaser,  are  in  substance  as  follows:  First.  The  engine  will  be  capable  of  operating  con- 
tinuously when  indicating  11,000  horse  power  with  175  Ibs.  of  steam  pressure,  a  speed  of  75  revolutions  and 
a  26-inch  vacuum  without  normal  wear,  jar,  noise,  or  other  objectionable  results.  Second.  It  will  be  suitably 
proportioned  to  withstand  in  a  serviceable  manner  all  sudden  fluctuations  of  load  as  are  usual  and  incidental 
to  the  generation  of  electrical  energy  for  railway  purposes.  Third.  It  will  be  capable  of  operating  with  an 
atmospheric  exhaust  with  two  pounds  back  pressure  at  the  low  pressure  cylinders,  and  when  so  operating, 
will  fulfill  all  the  operating  requirements,  except  as  to  economy  and  capacity.  Fourth.  It  will  be  propor- 
tioned so  that  when  occasion  shall  require  it  can  be  operated  with  a  steam  pressure  at  the  throttles  of  200 
pounds  above  atmospheric  pressure  under  the  before  mentioned  conditions  of  the  speed  and  vacuum.  Fifth. 
It  will  be  proportioned  so  that  it  can  be  operated  with  steam  pressure  at  the  throttle  of  200  pounds  above 
atmospheric  pressure  under  the  before  mentioned  condition  as  to  speed  when  exhausting  in  the  atmosphere. 
Sixth.  The  engine  will  operate  successfully  with  a  steam  pressure  at  the  throttle  of  175  pounds  above  atmos- 
phere, should  the  temperature  of  the  steam  be  maintained  at  the  throttle  at  from  450  to  500  degrees  Fahr. 
Seventh.  It  will  not  require  more  than  i  2  i/£  pounds  of  dry  steam  per  indicated  horse  power  per  hour,  when 
indicating  7,500  horse  power  at  75  revolutions  per  minute,  when  the  vacuum  of  26  inches  at  the  low  pressure 
cylinders,  with  a  steam  pressure  at  the  throttle  of  175  pounds  and  with  saturated  steam  at  the  normal  tem- 
perature due  to  its  pressure.  The  guarantee  includes  all  of  the  steam  used  by  the  engine  or  by  the  jackets 
or  reheater. 

The  new  features  contained  within  the  engine  construction  are  principally:  First,  the  novel  construction 
of  the  high-pressure  cylinders,  by  which  only  a  small  strain  is  transmitted  through  the  valve  chamber 


PAGE  86INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSI 


THE       SUBWAY 


Turbo- 
Generators 


Exciter 
Engines 


Condensing 
Equipment 


between  the  cylinder  and  the  slide-surface  casting.  This  is  accomplished  by  employing  heavy  bolts,  which 
bolt  the  shell  of  the  cylinder  casting  to  the  slide-surface  casting,  said  bolts  being  carried  past  and  outside  the 
valve  chamber.  Second,  the  use  of  poppet  valves,  which  are  operated  in  a  very  simple  manner  from  a  wrist 
plate  on  the  side  of  the  cylinder,  the  connections  from  the  valves  to  the  wrist  plate  and  the  connections  from 
the  wrist  plate  to  the  eccentric  being  similar  to  the  parts  usually  employed  for  the  operation  of  Corliss  valves. 

Unlike  the  Manhattan  engines,  the  main  steam  pipes  are  carried  to  the  high-pressure  cylinders  under 
the  floor  and  not  above  it.  Another  modification  consists  in  the  use  of  an  adjustable  strap  for  the  crank-pin 
boxes  instead  of  the  marine  style  of  construction  at  the  crank-pin  end  of  the  connecting  rod. 

The  weight  of  the  revolving  field  is  about  335,000  pounds,  which  gives  a  flywheel  effect  of  about 
350,000  pounds  at  a  radius  of  gyration  of  n  feet,  and  with  this  flywheel  inertia  the  engine  is  designed  so 
that  any  point  on  the  revolving  element  shall  not,  in  operation,  lag  behind  nor  forge  ahead  of  the  position 
that  it  would  have  if  the  speed  were  absolutely  uniform,  by  an  amount  greater  than  one-eighth  of  a  natural 
degree. 

Arrangements  have  been  made  for  the  erection  of  four  turbo  generators,  but  only  three  have  been 
ordered.  They  are  of  the  multiple  expansion  parallel  flow  type,  consisting  of  two  turbines  arranged  tandem 
compound.  When  operating  at  full  load  each  of  the  two  turbines,  comprising  one  unit,  will  develop 
approximately  equal  power  for  direct  connection  to  an  alternator  giving  7,200  alternations  per  minute  at 
n,ooovolts  and  at  a  speed  of  1,200  revolutions  per  minute.  Each  unit  will  have  a  normal  output  of  1,700 
electrical  horse  power  with  a  steam  pressure  of  175  pounds  at  the  throttle  and  a  vacuum  in  the  exhaust  pipe 
of  27  inches,  measured  by  a  mercury  column  and  referred  to  a  barometric  pressure  of  30  inches.  The 
turbine  is  guaranteed  to  operate  satisfactorily  with  steam  superheated  to  450  degrees  Fahrenheit.  The 
economy  guaranteed  under  the  foregoing  conditions  as  to  initial  and  terminal  pressure  and  speed  is  as  follows: 
Full  load  of  1,250  kilowatts,  15.7  pounds  of  steam  per  electrical  horse  power  hour;  three-quarter  load, 
937^4  kilowatts,  16.6  pounds  per  electrical  horse  power  hour;  one-half  load,  625  kilowatts,  18.3  pounds; 
and  one  quarter  load,  312^  kilowatts,  23.2  pounds.  When  operating  under  the  conditions  of  speed  and 
steam  pressure  mentioned,  but  with  a  pressure  in  the  exhaust  pipe  of  27  inches  vacuum  by  mercury  column 
(referred  to  30  inches  barometer),  and  with  steam  at  the  throttle  superheated  75  degrees  Fahrenheit  above 
the  temperature  of  saturated  steam  at  that  pressure,  the  guaranteed  steam  consumption  is  as  follows  :  Full 
load,  1,250  kilowatts,  13.8  pounds  per  electrical  horse-power-hour;  three-quarter  load,  937^  kilowatts,  14.6 
pounds;  one-half  load,  625  kilowatts,  16.2  pounds;  and  one-quarter  load,  3125^  kilowatts,  20.8  pounds. 

The  two  exciter  engines  are  each  direct  connected  to  a  250  kilowatt  direct  current  generator.  Each 
engine  is  a  vertical  quarter-crank  compound  engine  with  a  1 7-inch  high  pressure  cylinder  and  a  27-inch  low- 
pressure  cylinder  with  a  common  24-inch  stroke.  The  engines  will  be  non-condensing,  for  the  reason  that 
extreme  reliability  is  desired  at  the  expense  of  some  economy.  They  will  operate  at  best  efficiency  when 
indicating  400  horse  power  at  a  speed  of  150  revolutions  per  minute  with  a  steam  pressure  of  175  pounds 
at  the  throttle.  Each  engine  will  have  a  maximum  of  600  indicated  horse  power. 

Each  engine  unit  is  supplied  with  its  own  condenser  equipment,  consisting  of  two  barometic  condensing 
chambers,  each  attached  as  closely  as  possible  to  its  respective  low-pressure  cylinder.  For  each  engine  also 
is  provided  a  vertical  circulating  pump  along  with  a  vacuum  pump  and,  for  the  sake  of  flexibility,  the  pumps 
are  cross  connected  with  those  of  other  engines  and  can  be  used  interchangeably. 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  87 


THE       SUBWAY 


MEN 


The  circulating  pumps  are  vertical,  cross  compound  pumping  engines  with  outside  packed  plungers. 
Their  foundations  are  upon  the  basement  floor  level  and  the  steam  cylinders  extend  above  the  engine-room 
floor;  the  starting  valves  and  control  of  speed  is  therefore  entirely  under  the  supervision  of  the  engineer. 
Each  pump  has  a  normal  capacity  of  10,000,000  gallons  of  water  per  day,  so  that  the  total  pumping  capacity 
of  all  the  pumps  is  120,000,000  gallons  per  day.  While  the  head  against  which  these  pumps  will  be 
required  to  work,  when  assisted  by  the  vacuum  in  the  condenser,  is  much  less  than  the  total  lift  from  low 
tide  water  to  the  entrance  into  the  condensing  chambers,  they  are  so  designed  as  to  be  ready  to  deliver  the 
full  quantity  the  full  height,  if  for  any  reason  the  assistance  of  the  vacuum  should  be  lost  or  not  available  at 
times  of  starting  up.  A  temporary  overload  can  but  reduce  the  vacuum  only  for  a  short  time  and  the 
fluctuations  of  the  tide,  or  even  a  complete  loss  of  vacuum  cannot  interfere  with  the  constant  supply  of 
water,  the  governor  simply  admitting  to  the  cylinders  the  proper  amount  of  steam  to  do  the  work.  The 
high-pressure  steam  cylinder  is  10  inches  in  diameter  and  the  low-pressure  is  20  inches;  the  two  double- 
acting  water  plungers  are  each  20  inches  in  diameter,  and  the  stroke  is  30  inches  for  all.  The  water  ends 
are  composition  fitted  for  salt  water  and  have  valve  decks  and  plungers  entirely  of  that  material. 

The  dry  vacuum  pumps  are  of  the  vertical  form,  and  each  is  locateyd  alongside  of  the  corresponding 
circulating  pump.  The  steam  cylinders  also  project  above  the  engine-room  floor.  The  vacuum  cylinder  is 


COAL    UNLOADING    TOWER    ON    WEST     58TH    STREET     IMER 


PAGE  88INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Exhaust 
Piping 


Compressed 
Air 


Oil  System 


Cranes,  Shops, 
Etc. 


immediately  below  the  steam  cylinder  and  has  a  valve  that  is  mechanically  operated  by  an  eccentric  on  the 
shaft.  These  pumps  are  of  the  close-clearance  type,  and,  while  controlled  by  a  governor,  can  be  changed  in 
speed  while  running  to  any  determined  rate. 

From  each  atmospheric  exhaust  valve,  which  is  direct-connected  to  the  condensing  chamber  at  each  low- 
pressure  cylinder,  is  run  downward  a  jo-inch  riveted-steel  exhaust  pipe.  At  a  point  just  under  the  engine- 
room  floor  the  exhaust  pipe  is  carried  horizontally  around  the  engine  foundations,  the  two  from  each  pair  of 
engines  uniting  in  a  4O-inch  riser  to  the  roof.  This  riser  is  between  the  pair  of  engines  and  back  of  the  high- 
pressure  cylinder,  thus  passing  through  the  so-called  pipe  area,  where  it  also  receives  exhaust  steam  from  the 
pump  auxiliaries.  At  the  roof  the  4O-inch  riser  is  run  into  a  48-inch  stand  pipe.  This  is  capped  with  an 
exhaust  head,  the  top  of  which  is  35  feet  above  the  roof. 

All  the  exhaust  piping  30  inches  in  diameter  and  over  is  longitudinally  riveted  steel  with  cast-iron 
flanges  riveted  on  to  it.  Expansion  joints  are  provided  where  necessary  to  relieve  the  piping  from  the  strains 
due  to  expansion  and  contraction,  and  where  the  joints  are  located  near  the  engine  and  generator  they  are  of 
corrugated  copper.  The  expansion  joints  in  the  4O-inch  risers  above  the  pipe  area  are  ordinarily  packed 
slip  joints. 

The  exhaust  piping  from  the  auxiliaries  is  carried  directly  up  into  the  pipe  area,  where  it  is  connected 
with  a  feed-water  heater,  with  means  for  by-passing  the  latter.  Beyond  the  heater  it  joins  the  4O-inch  riser 
to  the  roof.  The  feed-water  heaters  are  three-pass,  vertical,  water-tube  heaters,  designed  for  a  working  water 
pressure  of  225  pounds  per  square  inch. 

The  design  of  the  atmospheric  relief  valve  received  special  consideration.  A  lever  is  provided  to  assist 
the  valve  to  close,  while  a  dash  pot  prevents  a  too  quick  action  in  either  direction. 

The  power  house  will  be  provided  with  a  system  for  supplying  compressed  air  to  various  points  about 
the  structure  for  cleaning  electrical  machinery  and  for  such  other  purposes  as  may  arise.  It  will  also  be  used 
for  operating  whistles  employed  for  signaling.  The  air  is  supplied  to  reservoir  tanks  by  two  vertical,  two- 
stage,  electric-driven  air  compressors. 

For  the  lubrication  of  the  engines  an  extensive  oil  distributing  and  filtering  system  is  provided.  Fil- 
tered oil  will  be  supplied  under  pressure  from  elevated  storage  tanks,  with  a  piping  system  leading  to  all  the 
various  journals.  The  piping  to  the  engines  is  constructed  on  a  duplicate,  or  crib,  system,  by  which  the  sup- 
ply of  oil  cannot  be  interrupted  by  a  break  in  any  one  pipe.  The  oil  on  leaving  the  engines  is  conducted 
to  the  filtering  tanks.  A  pumping  equipment  then  redelivers  the  oil  to  the  elevated  storage  tanks. 

All  piping  carrying  filtered  oil  is  of  brass  and  fittings  are  inserted  at  proper  pipes  to  facilitate  cleaning. 
The  immediate  installation  includes  two  oil  filtering  tanks  at  the  easterly  end  of  the  power  house,  but  the 
completed  plant  contemplates  the  addition  of  two  extra  filtering  tanks  at  the  westerly  end  of  the  structure. 

The  power  house  is  provided  with  the  following  traveling  cranes  :  For  the  operating  room  :  One  60- 
ton  electric  traveling  crane  and  one  25-ton  electric  traveling  crane.  For  the  area  over  the  oil  switches  :  one 
lO-ton  hand-operated  crane.  For  the  center  aisle  of  the  boiler  room  :  one  lo-ton  hand-operated  crane. 
The  span  of  both  of  the  electric  cranes  is  74  feet  4  inches  and  both  cranes  operate  over  the  entire  length  of 
the  structure. 

The  6o-ton  crane  has  two  trolleys,  each  with  a  lifting  capacity,  for  regular  load,  of  50  tons.  Each 
trolley  is  also  provided  with  an  auxiliary  hoist  of  10  tons  capacity.  When  loaded,  the  crane  can  operate  at 


INTKRBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  89 


THE       SUB  W  A  Y 


the  following  speeds  :  Bridge,  200  feet  per  minute;  trolley,  100  feet  per  minute;  main  hoist,  10  feet  per 
minute  ;  and  auxiliary  hoist,  30  feet  per  minute.  The  25-ton  crane  is  provided  with  one  trolley,  having  a 
lifting  capacity,  for  regular  load,  of  25  tons,  together  with  auxiliary  hoist  of  5  tons.  When  loaded,  the 
crane  can  operate  at  the  following  speeds  :  bridge,  250  feet  per  minute  ;  trolley,  100  feet  per  minute  ;  main 
hoist,  12  feet  per  minute;  and  auxiliary  hoist,  28  feet  per  minute. 

The  power  house  is  provided  with  an  extensive  tool  equipment  for  a  repair  and  machine  shop,  which  is 
located  on  the  main  gallery  at  the  northerly  side  of  the  operating  room. 


5,OOO  K.    W.    ALTERNATOR  --  MAIN    POWER    HOUSE 


CHAPTER   V 


SYSTEM  OF  ELECTRICAL   SUPPLY 


r~  §  "A  HE  system  of  electrical  supply  chosen  for  the  subway  comprises  alternating  current  generation  and 
I  distribution,  and  direct  current  operation  of  car  motors.  Four  years  ago,  when  the  engineering  plans 
^  were  under  consideration,  the  single-phase  alternating  current  railway  motor  was  not  even  in  an  to 
embryonic  state,  and  notwithstanding  the  marked  progress  recently  made  in  its  development,  it  can  scarcely 
yet  be  considered  to  have  reached  a  stage  that  would  warrant  any  modifications  in  the  plans  adopted,  even 
were  such  modifications  easily  possible  at  the  present  time.  The  comparatively  limited  headroom  available 
in  the  subway  prohibited  the  use  of  an  overhead  system  of  conductors,  and  this  limitation,  in  conjunction 
with  the  obvious  desirability  of  providing  a  system  permitting  interchangeable  operation  with  the  lines  of 
the  Manhattan  Railway  system  practically  excluded  tri-phase  traction  systems  and  led  directly  to  the  adop- 
tion ot  the  third-rail  direct  current  system. 


Shaft 
Third  Rail 


SIDE  AND  END  ELEVATIONS 
OF  ALTERNATOR. 


PAGE  92     INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


T          K          U         C         T         I 


A  N  ]> 


V         I          P          M          E          N          T 


KEY 

a  Lamiuated  field  magnets 

&  Cast  iron  ring 

c  Rolled  steel  web 

tl  Laminated  armature  core 

0  Cast  iroii  armature  frame 

/  Steel  hub 


Section  li    i; 


Section  A.  A. 


SIDE  ELEVATION  AND  CROSS  SECTION  OF  ALTERNATOR 
WITH  PART  CUT  AWAY  TO   SHOW  CONSTRUCTION. 

It  being  considered  impracticable  to  predict  with  entire  certainty  the  ultimate  traffic  conditions  to  be 
met,  the  generator  plant  has  been  designed  to  take  care  of  all  probable  traffic  demands  expected  to  arise- 
within  a  year  or  two  of  the  beginning  of  operation  of  the  system,  while  the  plans  permit  convenient  and 
symmetrical  increase  to  meet  the  requirements  of  additional  demand  which  may  develop.  Each  express 
train  will  comprise  five  motor  cars  and  three  trail  cars,  and  each  local  train  will  comprise  three  motor  cars  and 
two  trail  cars.  The  weight  of  each  motor  car  with  maximum  live  load  is  88,000  pounds,  and  the  weight  of 
each  trailer  car  66,000  pounds. 

The  plans  adopted  provide  electric  equipment  at  the  outstart  capable  of  operating  express  trains  at  an 
average  speed  approximating  twenty-five  miles  per  hqur,  while  the  control  system  and  motor  units  have  been 
so  chosen  that  higher  speeds  up  to  a  limit  of  about  thirty  miles  per  hour  can  be  attained  by  increasing  the 
number  of  motor  cars  providing  experience  in  operation  demonstrates  that  such  higher  speeds  can  be 
obtained  with  safety. 

The  speed  of  local  trains  between  City  Hall  and  96th  Street  will  average  about  15  miles  an  hour,  while 
north  of  96th  Street  on  both  the  West  side  and  East  side  branches  their  speed  will  average  about  i  8  miles 
an  hour,  owing  to  the  greater  average  distance  between  local  stations. 

As  the  result  of  careful  consideration  of  various  plans,  the  company's  engineers  recommended  that  all 
the  power  required  for  the  operation  of  the  system  be  generated  in  a  single  power  house  in  the  form  of  three- 
phase  alternating  current  at  1 1,000  volts,  this  current  to  be  generated  at  a  frequency  of  25  cycles  per  second, 
and  to  be  delivered  through  three-conductor  cables  to  transformers  and  converters  in  sub-stations  suitably 


INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  93 


THE       SUBWAY 


TKUCTION  AND  EQUIPMEN 


f  7  /  /  / 


located  with  reference  to  the  track  system,  the  current  there  to  be  transformed  and  converted  to  direct  cur- 
rent for  delivery  to  the  third-rail  conductor  at  a  potential  of  625  volts. 

Calculations  based  upon  contemplated  schedules  require  for  traction  purposes  and  for  heating  and  lighting 
cars,  a  maximum  delivery  of  about  45,000  kilowatts  at  the  third  rail.  Allowing  for  losses  in  the  distributing 
cables,  in  transformers  and  converters,  this  implies  a  total  generating  capacity  of  approximately  50,000  kilo- 


Cablcs  to  Substations 


GJ  (CD    CD 


Alternator 


GENERAL,    DIAGRAM    OF 
11,OOO    VOLT    CIRCUITS    IN    MAIN     POWER    STATION 


PAGE  94    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


power  and,  setting  aside  one  unit  as 
a  reserve,  the  contemplated  ultimate 
maximum  outputof  the  power  plarn^ 
therefore,  is  75,000  kilowatts,  or 
approximately  100,000  electrical 
horse  power. 

The  power  house  is  fully  de- 
scribed elsewhere  in  this  publication, 
but  it  is  not  inappropriate  to  refer 
briefly  in  this  place  to  certain  con- 
siderations governing  the  selection 
of  the  generating  unit,  and  the  use  of 
engines  rather  than  steam  turbines. 

The  5,ooo-kilowatt  generating 
unit  was  chosen  because  it  is  prac- 


watts,  and  having  in  view  the  possi- 
bility of  future  extensions  of  the 
system  it  was  decided  to  design  and 
construct  the  power  house  building 
for  the  ultimate  reception  of  eleven 
5,ooo-kilowatt  units  for  traction  cur- 
rent in  addition  to  the  lighting  sets. 
Each  5,ooo-kilowatt  unit  is  capable 
of  delivering  during  rush  hours  an 
output  of  7,500  kilowatts  or  ap- 
proximately 10,000  electrical  horse 


OIL    SWITCHES MAIN    POWER    STATION 


INTER  BOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  95 


THE       SUBWAY 


tically  as  large  a  unit  of  the  direct-connected  type  as  can  be  constructed  by  the  engine  builders  unless  more 
than  two  bearings  be  used  —  an  alternative  deemed  inadvisable  by  the  engineers  of  the  company.  The 
adoption  of  a  smaller  unit  would  be  less  economical  of  floor  space  and  would  tend  to  produce  extreme 
complication  in  so  large  an  installation,  and,  in  view  of  the  rapid  changes  in  load  which  in  urban  railway 
service  of  this  character  occur  in  the  morning  and  again  late  in  the  afternoon,  would  be  extremely  difficult  to 
operate. 

The  experience  of  the  Manhattan  plant  has  shown,  as  was  anticipated  in  the  installation  of  less  output 
than  this,  the  alternators  must  be  put  in  service  at  intervals  of  twenty  minutes  to  meet  the  load  upon  the 
station  while  it  is  rising  to  the  maximum  attained  during  rush  hours. 

After  careful  consideration  of  the  possible  use  of  steam  turbines  as  prime-movers  to  drive  the  alternators, 
the  company's  engineers  decided  in  favor  of  reciprocating  engines.  This  decision  was  made  three  years  ago 
and, while  the  steam  turbine  since  that  time  has  made  material  progress, those  responsible  for  the  decision  are 
confirmed  in  their  opinion  that  it  was  wise. 

The  alternators  closely  resemble  those  installed  by  the  Manhattan  Railway  Company  (now  the  Man- 
hattan  division  of  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company)  in  its  plant  on  the  East  River,between  74th  Street 
and  75th  Street.  They  differ,  however,  in  having  the  stationary  armature  divided  into  seven  castings  instead 
of  six,  and  in  respect  to  details  of  the  armature  winding.  They  are  three-phase  machines,  delivering  twenty- 
five  cycle  alternating  currents  at  an  effective  potential  of  1 1,000  volts.  They  are  42  feet  in  height,  the 


PART    OF    BUS    BAH    COMPARTMENTS MAIN    POWER    STATION 


PAGE  9*    INTER. BO-ROU-GH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


REAR     VIEW     OK    BUS     BAR 


•I 

—  MAIN     IMWEX    STATION 

diameter  of  the  revolving  part  is  32  feet,  its  weight,  332,000  pounds,  and  the  aggregate  weight  of  the 
machine,  889,000  pounds.  The  design  of  the  engine  dynamo  unit  eliminates  the  auxiliary  fly  wheel 
generally  used  in  the  construction  of  large  direct-connected  units  prior  to  the  erection  of  the  Manhattan 
plant,  the  weight  and  dimensions  of  the  revolving  alternator  field  being  such  with  reference  to  the  turning 
moment  of  the  engine  as  to  secure  close  uniformity  of  rotation,  while  at  the  same  time  this  construction 
results  in  narrowing  the  engine  and  reducing  the  engine  shafts  between  bearings. 

Construction  of  the  revolving  parts  of  the  al- 
ternators is  such  as  to  secure  very  great  strength  and 
consequent  ability  to  resist  the  tendency  to  burst 
and  fly  apart  in  case  of  temporary  abnormal  speed 
through  accident  of  any  kind.  The  hub  of  the 
revolving  field  is  of  cast  steel,  and  the  rim  is  carried 
not  by  the  usual  spokes  but  by  two  wedges  of  rolled 
steel.  The  construction  of  the  revolving  field  is 
illustrated  on  pages  91  and  92.  The  angular 
velocity  of  the  revolving  field  is  remarkably  uni- 
form. This  result  is  due  primarily  to  the  fact 
that  the  turning  movement  of  the  four-cylinder 
engine  is  far  more  uniform  than  is  the  case, 


-...    .  :./;'/,     .•'.. 

e"i;" 
I*  -t 


a, 


DUCT  LINE  ACROSS    fiSTII  STKKKT 
32  DUCTS 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  97 


THE       SUBWAY 


ST         RUCTION 


AMD 


EQUIPMENT 


MAIX  CONTKOLL.ING  BOAKD  IN  POWER    STATION 

for  example,  with  an  ordinary  two-cylinder  engine.      The  large  fly-wheel  capacity  of  the  rotating  element  of 
the  machine  also  contributes  materially  to  secure  uniformity  of  rotation. 

The  alternators  have  forty  field  poles  and  operates  at  seventy-five  revolutions  per  minute.  The  field 
magnets  constitute  the  periphery  of  the  revolving  field,  the  poles  and  rim  of  the  field  being  built  up  by  steel 
plates  which  are  dovetailed  to  the  driving  spider.  The  heavy  steel  end  plates  are  bolted  together,  the  lami- 
nations breaking  joints  in  the  middle  of  the  pole.  The  field  coils  are  secured  by  copper  wedges,  which  are 


CONTROL    AND    INSTRUMENT    BOARD — MAIN     POWER    STATION 


PAGE  98INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSI 


THE       S  U  B  W A Y 


^m^S^SE^SL 


DUCTS  UNDER  PASSENGER  STATION  PLATFORM 

64  DUCTS 


subjected  to  shearing  strains 
only.  In  the  body  of  the 
poles,  at  intervals  of  ap- 
proximately three  inches, 
ventilating  spaces  are  pro- 
vided, these  spaces  register- 
ing with  corresponding  air 
ducts  in  the  external  arma- 
ture. The  field  w  i  n  d  i  n  g 
consists  of  copper  strap  on 
edge,  one  layer  deep,  with 
fibrous  material  cemented 
in  place  between  turns,  the 
edges  of  the  strap  being 
exposed. 

The  armature  is  sta- 
tionary and  exterior  to  the 

field.  It  consists  of  a  laminated  ring  with  slots  on  its  inner  surface  and  supported  by  a  massive  external  cast- 
iron  frame.  The  armature,  as  has  been  noted,  comprises  seven  segments,  the  topmost  segment  being  in  the 
form  of  a  small  keystone.  This  may  be  removed  readily,  affording  access  to  any  field  coil,  which  in  this 
way  may  be  easily  removed  and  replaced.  The  armature  winding  consists  of  U-shaped  copper  bars  in  par- 
tially closed  slots.  There  are  four  bars  per  slot  and  three  slots  per  phase  per  pole.  The  bars  in  any  slot 
may  be  removed  from  the  armature  without  removing  the  frame.  The  alternators,  of  course,  are  separately 
excited,  the  potential  of  the  exciting  current  used  being  250  volts. 

As  regards  regulation,  the  manufacturer's  guarantee  is  that  at  100  per  cent,  power  factor  if  full  rated 
load  be  thrown  oft"  the  e.  m.  f.  will  rise  6  per 
cent,  with  constant  speed  and  constant  ex- 
citation. The  guarantee  as  to  efficiency  is  as 
follows  :  On  non-inductive  load,  the  alter- 
nators will  have  an  efficiency  of  not  less  than 
90.5  per  cent,  at  one-quarter  load;  94.75  per 
cent,  at  one-half  load;  96.25  per  cent,  at 
three-quarters  load  ;  97  per  cent,  at  full  load, 
and  97.25  per  cent,  at  one  and  one-quarter 
load.  These  figures  refer,  of  course,  to  elec- 
trical efficiency,  and  do  not  include  windage 
and  bearing  friction.  The  machines  are  de- 
signed to  operate  under  their  rated  full  load  V*H 
with  rise  of  temperature  not  exceeding  35  *"  v-* 
degrees  C.  after  twenty-four  hours. 


THREE-CONDUCTOR    NO.    OOO    CABLE 
TOIL    11,000    VOLT    DISTRIBUTION 


INTER  BOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  99 


THE       SUBWAY 


MEN 


To  supply  exciting  current  for  the  fields  of  the  alternators  and  to  operate  motors  driving  auxiliary  ap- 
paratus,  five  25o-kilowatt  direct  current  dynamos  are  provided.  These  deliver  their  current  at  a  potential  of 
250  volts.  Two  of  them  are  driven  by  400  horse-power  engines  of  the  marine  type,  to  which  they  are 
direct-connected,  while  the  remaining  three  units  are  direct-connected  to  365  horse-power  tri-phase  induction 
motors  operating  at  400  volts.  A  storage  battery  capable  of  furnishing  3,000  amperes  for  one  hour  is  used 
in  co-operation  with  the  dynamos  provided  to  excite  the  alternators.  The  five  direct-current  dynamos  are 
connected  to  the  organization  of  switching  apparatus  in  such  a  way  that  each  unit  may  be  connected  at  will 
either  to  the  exciting  circuits  or  to  the  circuits  through  which  auxiliary  motors  are  supplied. 

The  alternators  for  which  the  new  Interborough  Power  House  are  designed  will  deliver  to  the  bus  bars 

100,000  electrical  horse  power.  The  current  deliv- 
ered by  these  alternators  reverses  its  direction  fifty 
times  per  second  and  in  connecting  dynamos  just 
coming  into  service  with  those  already  in  operation 
the  allowable  difference  in  phase  relation  at  the 
instant  the  circuit  is  completed  is,  of  course,  but  a 
fraction  of  the  fiftieth  of  a  second.  Where  the  power 
to  be  controlled  is  so  great,  the  potential  so  high,  and 
the  speed  requirements  in  respect  to  synchronous 
operation  so  exacting,  it  is  obvious  that  the  perfec- 
tion of  control  attained  in  some  of  our  modern 
plants  is  not  their  least  characteristic. 

The  switch  used  for  the  1 1 ,000  volt  circuits  Switching 
is  so  constructed  that  the  circuits  are  made  and 
broken  under  oil,  the  switch  being  electrically  oper- 
ated. Two  complete  and  independent  sets  of  bus 
bars  arc  used,  and  the  connections  are  such  that  each 
alternator  and  each  feeder  may  be  connected  to  either 
of  these  sets  of  bus  bars  at  the  will  of  the  operator. 
From  alternators  to  bus  bars  the  current  passes,  first, 
through  the  alternator  switch,  and  then  alternatively 
through  one  or  the  other  of  two  selector  switches 
which  are  connected,  respectively,  to  the  two  sets 
of  bus  bars. 

Provision  is  made  for  an  ultimate  total  of  twelve 
sub-stations,  to  each  of  which  as  many  as  eight  feeders 
may  be  installed  if  the  development  of  the  company's 
business  should  require  that  number.  But  eight  sub- 
stations are  required  at  present,  and  to  some  of  these 
not  more  than  three  feeders  each  are  necessary. 
The  aggregate  number  of  feeders  installed  for  the 


INSIDE   WALL,   OF    TUNNEL 
SHOWING   O4   DUCTS 


*£'.  -Ai^,,.  ,•.">  :,.*. 


^^^^^SsS^vSi^ 


PAGE   ioo     INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


THE       SUBWAY 


NSTRUCTION 


TRANSIT 


feeders  are  arranged  in  groups,  each  group 
being  supplied  from  a  set  of  auxiliary  bus 
bars,  which  in  turn  receives  its  suppl)'  from 
one  or  the  other  of  the  two  sets  of  main  bus 
bars  ;  means  for  selection  being  provided  as 
in  the  case  of  the  alternator  circuits  by  a  pair 
of  selector  switches,  in  this  case  designated 
as  group  switches.  The  diagram  on  page  93 
illustrates  the  essential  features  of  the  organi- 
zation and  connections  of  the  11,000  volt 
circuits  in  the  power  house. 

Any  and  every  switch  can  be  opened  or 
closed  at  will  by  the  operator  standing  at  the 


initial  operation  of  the  subway 
system  is  thirty-four. 

Each  feeder  circuit  is  pro- 
vided with  a  type  H-oil  switch 
arranged  to  be  open  and  closed 
at  will  by  the  operator,  and  also 
to  open  automatically  in  the 
case  of  abnormal  flow  of  cur- 
rent through  the  feeder.  The 


MANHOLES    IN    Slot    WALL    or   SUBWAY 


•1 


I   m 


pip 


-- 


n 


Gallery  Floor 


i 


CONVERTER  FLOOR  PLAX 

SUB -STATION  NO.  14 


PAGF.   102     INTER   BOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


control  board  described.  The  alternator 
switches  are  provided  also  with  automatic  over- 
load and  reversed  current  relays,  and  the  feeder 
switches,  as  above  mentioned,  are  provided 
with  automatic  overload  relays.  These  overload 
relays  have  a  time  attachment  which  can  be  set 
to  open  the  switch  at  the  expiration  of  a  pre- 
determined time  ranging  from  .3  of  a  second 
to  5  seconds. 

The  type  H-oil  switch  is  operated  by  an 
electric  motor  through  the  intervention  of  a 
mechanism  comprising  powerful  springs  which 
open  and  close  the  switch  with  great  speed. 
This  switch  when  opened  introduces  in  each 
of  the  three  sides  of  the  circuit  two  breaks 
which  are  in  series  with  each  other.  Each 
side  of  the  circuit  is  separated  from  the  others 
CROSS  SECTION  SUB- STATION  NO.  14  by  its  locadon  in  an  endosed  compartment,  the 

walls  of  which  are  brick  and  soapstone.    The  general  construction  of  the  switch  is  illustrated  by  the  photograph 
on  page  94. 


INTEHIOI    OF    SUB-STATION    NO.    II 


PAGE  104    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Like  all  current-carrying  parts  of 
the  switches,  the  bus  bars  are  enclosed 
in  separate  compartments.  These  are 
constructed  of  brick,  small  doors  for 
inspection  and  maintenance  being  pro- 
vided opposite  all  points  where  the  bus 
bars  are  supported  upon  insulators.  The 
photographs  on  pages  95  and  96  are  views 
of  a  part  of  the  bus  bar  and  switch  com- 
partments. 

The  oil  switches  and  group  bus 
bars  are  located  upon  the  main  floor  and 
extend  along  the  59th  Street  wall  of  the 


TWO    CROUPS    OF    TRANSFORMERS 


engine  room  a  distance  of  about  600  feet.     The  main 
bus  bars  are  arranged   in   two   lines  of  brick  compart- 
ments, which  are  placed  below  the  engine  room   floor. 
These  bus  bars  are  arranged  vertically  and  are  placed 
directly  beneath  the  rows  of  oil  switches  located  upon 
the  main  floor  of  the  power  house.      Above  these  rows 
of  oil  switches  and  the  group  bus  bars,  galleries 
are  constructed  which  extend  the  entire  length 
of  the  power  house,  and  upon  the  first  of  these 
galleries  at  a  point  opposite  the  middle  of  the 
power  house  are  located  the  control  board  and 
instrument  board,  by  means  of  which  the  oper- 
ator in  charge  regulates  and  directs  the  entire 
output  of  the  plant,  maintaining  a  supply  of 
power   at   all    times  adequate  to  the  demands 
of  the  transportation  service. 


MOTOR-GENERATORS    AND    BATTERY    BOARD    roX    CONTROL    CIRCUITS  SUB-STATION. 


INTERBO  ROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  I05 


THE       SUBWAY 


MEN 


I,5OO    K.     W.     ROTARY     CONVERTER 


The  control  board  is  shown 
in  the  photograph  on  page  97. 
Every  alternator  switch,  every 
selector  switch,  every  group 
switch,  and  every  feeder  switch 
upon  the  main  floor  is  here  rep- 
resented by  a  small  switch.  The 
small  switch  is  connected  into  a 
control  circuit  which  receives  its 
supply  of  energy  at  110  volts 
from  a  small  motor  generator 
set  and  storage  battery.  The 
motors  which  actuate  the  large 
oil  switches  upon  the  main  floor 
are  driven  by  this  1  10  volt  con- 
trol current,  and  thus  in  the 
hands  of  the  operator  the  control  switches  make  or  break  the  relatively  feeble  control  currents,  which,  in 
turn,  close  or  open  the  switches  in  the  main  power  circuits.  The  control  switches  are  systematically  assem- 
bled upon  the  control  bench  board  in  conjunction  with  dummy  bus  bars  and  other  apparent  (but  not  real) 
metallic  connections,  the  whole  constituting  at  all  times  a  correct  diagram  of  the  existing  connections  of  the 
main  power  circuits.  Every  time  the  operator  changes  a  connection  by  opening  or  closing  one  of  the  main 
switches,  he  necessarily  changes  his  diagram  so  that  it  represents  the  new  conditions  established  by  opening 
or  closing  the  main  switch.  In  connection  with  each  control  switch  two  small  bull's-eye  lamps  are  used,  one 
red,  to  indicate  that  the  corresponding  main  switch  is  closed,  the  other  green,  to  indicate  that  it  is  open.  These 
lamps  are  lighted  when 

•^••^^^••••^^•^^^^^^•••••^^^^••••••HHMH^HHMHMBM^H^^H^HI^HH^^^^mHBMH 

the  moving  part  of  the 
main  switch  reaches  ap- 
proximately the  end  of 
its  travel.  If  for  any 
reason,  therefore,  the 
movement  of  the  con- 
trol switch  should  fail 
to  actuate  the  main 
switch,  the  indicator 
lamp  will  not  be 
lighted. 

The  control  board 
is  divided  into  two 
parts  —  one  for  the 
connections  of  the 


Control 


MOTOR-GENERATOR    SET    SUPPLYING    ALTERNATING    CURRENT    FOR    BLOCK    SIGNALS  AND    MOTOR-GENERATOR    STARTING    SET 


PAGE  106    INTER   BO   ROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUB  \V  A  Y 


alternators  to  the  bus  bars  and  the  other  for  the  connection   of  feeders  to  bus   bars.      The    drawing    on 
page  97  shows  in  plain  view  the  essential  features  of  the  control  boards. 

A  front  view  of  the  Instrument  Board  is  shown  on  page  97.  This  board  contains  all  indicating  instru- 
ments for  alternators  and  feeders.  It  also  carries  standardizing  instruments  and  a  clock.  In  the  illustration 
the  alternator  panels  are  shown  at  the  left  and  the  feeder  panels  at  the  right.  For  the  alternator  panels,  instru- 
ments of  the  vertical  edgewise  type  are  used.  Each  vertical  row  comprises  the  measuring  instruments  for  an 
alternator.  Beginning  at  the  top  and  enumerating  them  in  order  these  instruments  are  :  Three  ammeters,  one 
for  each  phase,  a  volumeter,  an  indicating  wattmeter,  a  power  factor  indicator  and  a  field  ammeter.  The 
round  dial  instrument  shown  at  the  bottom  of  each  row  of  instruments  is  a  three-phase  recording  wattmeter. 

A  panel  located  near  the  center  of  the  board  between  alternator  panels  and  feeder  panels  carries  standard 
instruments  used  for  convenient  calibration  of  the  alternator  and  feeder  instruments.  Provision  is  made  on 
the  back  of  the  board  for  convenient  connection  of  the  standard  instruments  in  series  with  the  instruments  to 
be  compared.  The  panel  which  carries  trie  standard  instruments  also  carries  ammeters  used  to  measure  cur- 
rent to  auxiliary  circuits  in  the  power  house. 

For  the  feeder  board,  instruments  of  the  round  dial  pattern  are  used,  and  for  each  feeder  a  single  instru- 
ment is  provided,  viz.,  an  ammeter.  Each  vertical  row  comprises  the  ammeters  belonging  to  the  feeders 
which  supply  a  given  sub-station,  and  from  left  to  right  these  are  in  order  sub-stations  Nos.  n,  12,  13,  14, 
15,  1 6,  17,  and  18;  blank  spaces  are  left  for  four  additional  sub-stations.  Each  horizontal  row  comprises  the 
ammeter  belonging  to  feeders  which  are  supplied  through  a  given  group  switch. 

This  arrangement  in  vertical  and  hor- 
izontal lines,  indicating  respectively  feeders 
to  given  sub-stations  and  feeders  connected 
to  the  several  group  switches,  is   intended 
to  facilitate  the  work  of  the  oper- 
ator.     A  glance  down  a  vertical 
row  without  stopping  to  reach  the 
scales  of  the  instruments  will   tell 
him  whether  the  feeders  are  divid- 
ing with  approximate  equality  the 
load  to  a  given  sub-station.    Feed- 
ers to  different  substations  usually 
carry  different  loads  and,  generally 
speaking,  a   glance  along  a  hori- 
zontal row  will  convey  no  inform- 
ation of  especial  importance.     If, 
however,  for  any  reason  the  oper- 
ator should    desire    to  know  the 
approximate  aggregate  load  upon  a  group 
of  feeders  this  systematic  arrangement  of 
the  instruments  is  of  use. 

SWITCHBOARD    FOR    ALTERNATING    CURRENT    BLOCK    SIGNAL    CIRCUITS IN    SUB-STATION 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT     PAGE  I07 


THE       SUB  W  A  V 


EXTERIOR    OF    SUB-STATION    NO.     I  8 

The  location  and  arrangement  of 
ducts  along  the  line  of  the  subway  are 
illustrated  in  photographs  on  pages  98 
and  99,  which  show  respectively  a  sec- 
tion of  ducts  on  one  side  of  the  sub- 
way, between  passenger  stations,  and  a 
section  of  ducts  and  one  side  of  the 
subway,  beneath  the  platform  of  a 
passenger  station.  From  City  Hall 
to  96th  Street  (except  through  the 
Park  Avenue  Tunnel) sixty-four  ducts 
are  provided  on  each  side  of  the  sub- 
way. North  of  96th  Street  sixty-four 
ducts  are  provided  for  the  West-side 
lines  and  an  equal  number  for  the 
East-side  lines.  Between  passenger 
stations  these  ducts  help  to  form  the 
side  walls  of  the  subway,  and  are  ar- 
ranged thirty-two  ducts  high  and  two 
ducts  wide.  Beneath  the  platform  of 
passenger  stations  the  arrangement 
is  somewhat  varied  because  of  local 


From  alternators  to  alternator  switches  the 
11,000  volt  alternating  currents  are  conveyed 
through  single  conductor  cables,  insulated  by  oil 
cambric,  the  thickness  of  the  wall  being  1%2  of 
an  inch.  These  conductors  are  installed  in  vitri- 
fied clay  ducts.  From  dynamo  switches  to  bus 
bars  and  from  bus  bars  to  group  and  feeder 
switches,  vulcanized  rubber  insulation  contain- 
ing 30  per  cent,  pure  Para  rubber  is  employed. 
The  thickness  of  insulating  wall  is  %2  of  an  inch 
and  the  conductors  are  supported  upon  porcelain 
insulators. 

From  the  power  house  to  the  subway  at  58th 
Street  and  Broadway  two  lines  of  conduit,  each 
comprising  thirty-two  ducts,  have  been  constructed. 
These  conduits  are  located  on  opposite  sides  of 
the  street.  The  arrangement  of  ducts  is  8x4,  as 
shown  in  the  section  on  page  96. 


Alternating 
Current 
Distribution 
to  Sub-Stations 
Power  House 
Ducts  and 
Cables 


Conduit 
System  for 
Distribution 


EXTERIOR    OF    SUB-STATION    NO.    I  I 


PAGE  108 


E  R  B  O  R  O  U  G  H 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


obstructions,  such  as  pipes,  sewers,  etc.,  of  which  it  was  necessary  to  take  account  in  the  construction  ot 
the  stations.     The  plan  shown  on  page  98,  however,  is  typical. 

The  necessity  of  passing  the  cables  from  the  32x2  arrangement  of  ducts  along  the  side  of  the  tunnel 
to  8  x  8  and  16x4  arrangements  of  ducts  beneath  the  passenger  platforms  involves  serious  difficulties  in  the 
proper  support  and  protection  of  cables  in  manholes  at  the  ends  of  the  station  platforms.  In  order  to 
minimize  the  risk  of  interruption  of  service  due  to  possible  damage  to  a  considerable  number  of  cables  in  one 
of  these  manholes,  resulting  from  short  circuit  in  a  single  cable,  all  cables  except  at  the  joints  are  covered  with 
two  layers  of  asbestos  aggregating  a  full  ^-inch  in  thickness.  This  asbestos  is  specially  prepared  and  is 
applied  by  wrapping  the  cable  with  two  strips  each  3  inches  in  width,  the  outer  strip  covering  the  line  of 
junction  between  adjacent  spirals  of  the  inner  strip,  the  whole  when  in  place  being  impregnated  with  a  solution 
of  silicate  of  soda.  The  joints  themselves  are  covered  with  two  layers  of  asbestos  held  in  place  by  steel  tape 
applied  spirally.  To  distribute  the  strains  upon  the  cables  in  manholes,  radical  supports  of  various  curvatures, 
and  made  of  malleable  cast  iron,  are  used.  The  photograph  on  page  100  illustrates  the  arrangement  of 
cables  in  one  of  these  manholes. 


OPEHATING    BOARD SUB-STATION    NO       II 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  I09 


THE       SUBWAY 


In  order  to  further  diminish  the  risk  of  interruption  of  the  service  due  to  failure  of  power  supply,  each 
sub-station  south  of  96th  Street  receives  its  alternating  current  from  the  power  house  through  cables  carried 
on  opposite  sides  of  the  subway.  To  protect  the  lead  sheaths  of  the  cables  against  damage  by  electrolysis, 
rubber  insulating  pieces  l/fa  of  an  inch  in  thickness  are  placed  between  the  sheaths  and  the  iron  bracket  sup- 
ports in  the  manholes.' 

The   cables   used   for  conveying  energy  from  the  power  house  to  the  several  sub-stations    aggregate 
approximately  150   miles   in    length.      The   cable    used    for   this   purpose   comprises   three   stranded   copper  Conveying 
conductors  each  of  which  contains  nineteen  wires,  and  the  diameter  of  the  stranded  conductor  thus  formed 

is  %  of  an  inch.      Paper  insulation   is  employed   and   the  triple  cable  is  enclosed  in  a  lead  sheath  %-t  of  an 

*/ 

inch  thick.      Kach  conductor  is  separated  from  its  neighbors  and  from  the  lead  sheath  by  insulation  of  treated   Power  House  to 

paper  ?/io  of  an  inch  in  thickness.      The  outside  diameter  of  the  cables  is  2^  inches,  and  the  weight  8^    Sub-Stations 

pounds  per  lineal  foot.      In  the  factories  the  cable  as  manufactured  was  cut  into  lengths  corresponding  to  the 

distance  between  manholes,  and  each   length  subjected  to  severe  tests  including  application  to  the  insulation 

of  an  alternating  current  potential   of  30,000  volts  for  a  period  of  thirty  minutes.      These    cables    were 

installed  under  the  supervision  of  the    Interborough  Company's  engineers,  and  after  jointing,  each  complete 

cable  from   power  house  to  sub-station  was  tested  by  applying  an  alternating  potential  of  30,000  volts  for 

thirty  minutes  between  each  conductor  and  its  neighbors,  and  between  each  conductor  and  the  lead  sheath. 

The  photographs  on  page  98  illustrates  the  construction  of  this  cable. 

The  tri-phase  alternating  current  generated  at  the  power  house  is  conveyed  through  the  high  potential  Sub-Station 
cable  system  to  eight  sub-stations  containing  the  necessary  transforming  and  converting  machinery.      These 
sub-stations  are  designed  and  located  as  follows : 

Method  of  Feeding  Contact  Rail 


Track  Kotnrns 


DIAfiR.VMS    OK 
DIRECT    CURRENT    FEEDER 

VXD 
RETURN    CIRCUITS 


PAGE  1 10    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


S  CO 


M          H          N 


and  a  sub-station  site  comprising  two 
tion  of  a  maximum  of  eight 
1,500  kilowatts  converters  with 
necessary  transformers,  switch- 
board and  other  auxiliary  appa- 
ratus. In  designing  the  sub- 
stations, a  type  of  building  with 
a  central  air-well  was  selected. 
The  typical  organization  of  ap- 
paratus is  illustrated  in  the  ground 
plan  and  vertical  section  on 
pages  101,  1 02  and  103  and  pro- 
vides, as  shown,  for  two  lines  of 
converters,  the  three  transformers 


Sub-station  No.  11 — 29-33 
City  Hall  Place. 

Sub-station  No.  12 — 108- 
110  East  1 9th  Street. 

Sub-station  No.  13  —  --$- 
227  West  53d  Street. 

Sub-station  No.  14 — 264- 
266  West  96th  Street. 

Sub-station  No.  15  —  606- 
608  West  i43d  Street. 

Sub-station  No.  16  —  73-77 
West  i32d  Street. 

Sub-station  No.  17  —  Hill- 
side Avenue,  301  feet  West  of 
Eleventh  Avenue. 

Sub-station  No.  18  —  South 
side  of  Fox  Street  (Simpson 
Street),  60  feet  north  of  West- 
chester  Avenue. 

The  converter  unit  selected 
to  receive  the  alternating  cur- 
rent and  deliver  direct  current 
to  the  track,  etc.,  has  an  output 
of  i, 500  kilowatts  with  ability 
to  carry  50  per  cent,  overload 
for  three  hours.  The  average 
area  of  a  city  lot  is  25  x  100  feet, 
adjacent  lots  of  this  approximate  size  permits  the  installa- 


SWITCH  CONNECTING  FEEDER  TO  CONTACT  RAIL 


CONTACT    RAIL    JOINT    WITH    FISH    PLATE 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE 


THE       SUBWAY 


MEN 


CONTACT    RAIL    BANDS 


which  supply  each  converter  be- 
ing located  between  it  and  the 
adjacent  side  wall.  The  switch- 
board is  located  at  the  rear  of 
the  station.  The  central  shaft 
affords  excellent  light  and  ven- 
tilation for  the  operating  room. 
The  steel  work  of  the  sub- 
stations is  designed  with  a  view 
to  the  addition  of  two  storage 
battery  floors,  should  it  be  de- 
cided at  some  future  time  that 
the  addition  of  such  an  auxiliary 
is  advisable. 

The  necessary  equipment  of  the  sub-stations  implies  sites  approximately  50  x  100  feet  in  dimensions; 
and  sub-stations  Nos.  14,  15,  17,  and  iSare  practically  all  this  size.  Sub-stations  Nos.  n  and  i6are  100  feet 
in  length,  but  the  lots  acquired  in  these 
instances  being  of  unusual  width,  these 
sub-stations  are  approximately  60  feet 
wide.  Sub-station  No.  12,  on  account  of 
limited  ground  space,  is  but  48  feet  wide 
and  92  feet  long.  In  each  of  the  sub- 
stations, except  No.  13,  foundations  are 
provided  for  eight  converters;  sub-sta- 
tion No.  13  contains  foundations  for 
the  ultimate  installation  of  ten  convert- 
ers. 

The  function  of  the  electrical  ap- 
paratus in  sub-stations,  as  has  been 
stated,  is  the  conversion  of  the  high 
potential  alternating  current  energy 
delivered  from  the  power  house  through 
the  tri-phase  cables  into  direct  current 
adapted  to  operate  the  motors  with 
which  the  rolling  stock  is  equipped. 
This  apparatus  comprises  transformers, 
converters,  and  certain  minor  auxiliaries. 
The  transformers,  which  are  arranged 
in  groups  of  three,  receive  the  tri- 
phase  alternating  current  at  a  potential 

DIRECT    CURRENT    FEEDERS    FROM    MANHOLE    TO    CONTACT    RAIL 


PAGE  112    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


T   R   A   N   S   I   T 


THE       SUBWAY 


EMI     INCLINES 


approximating  10,500  volts,  and  deliver  equivalent  energy  (less  the  loss  of  about  2  per  cent,  in  the  transfor- 
mation) to  the  converters  at  a  potential  of  about  390  volts.  The  converters  receiving  this  energy  from 
their  respective  groups  of  transformers  in  turn  deliver  it  (less  a  loss  approximating  4  per  cent,  at  full  load) 
in  the  form  of  direct  current  at  a  potential  of  625  volts  to  the  bus  bars  of  the  direct  current  switchboards, 
from  which  it  is  conveyed  by  insulated  cables  to  the  contact  rails.  The  photograph  on  page  102  is  a 
general  view  of  the  interior  of  one  of  the  sub-stations.  The  exterior  of  sub-stations  Nos.  1 1  and  i  8  art- 
shown  on  page  107. 

The  illustration  on  page  108  is  from  a  photograph  taken  on  one  of  the  switchboard  galleries.  In  the 
sub-stations,  as  in  the  power  house,  the  high  potential  alternating  current  circuits  are  opened  and  closed  by 
oil  switches,  which  are  electrically  operated  by  motors,  these  in  turn  being  controlled  by  no  volt  direct 
current  circuits.  Diagramatic  bench  boards  are  used,  as  at  the  power  house,  but  in  the  sub-stations  they  are 
of  course  relatively  small  and  free  from  complication. 

The  instrument  board  is  supported  by  iron  columns  and  is  carried  at  a  sufficient  height  above  the  bench 
board  to  enable  the  operator,  while  facing  the  bench  board  and  the  instruments,  to  look  out  over  the  floor  of 
the  sub-station  without  turning  his  head.  The  switches  of  the  direct  current  circuits  are  hand-operated  and 
are  located  upon  boards  at  the  right  and  left  of  the  control  board. 

A  novel  and  important  feature  introduced  (it  is  believed  for  the  first  time)  in  these  sub-stations,  is  the 
location  in  separate  brick  compartments  of  the  automatic  circuit  breakers  in  the  direct  current  feeder  circuits. 
These  circuit  breaker  compartments  are  shown  in  the  photograph  on  page  93,  and  are  in  a  line  facing  the 
boards  which  carry  the  direct  feeder  switches,  each  circuit  breaker  being  located  in  a  compartment  directly 
opposite  the  panel  which  carries  the  switch  belonging  to  the  corresponding  circuit.  This  plan  will  effectually 
prevent  damage  to  other  parts  of  the  switchboard  equipment  when  circuit-breakers  open  automatically  under 
conditions  of  short-circuit.  It  also  tends  to  eliminate  lisk  to  the  operator,  and,  therefore,  to  increase  his 
confidence  and  accuracy  in  manipulating  the  hand-operated  switches. 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  IJ3 


T  H  E       S  U  B  XV  A  Y 


ASSEMBLY  OP  CONTACT  RAIL  AND  PROTECTION 

means  of  movable  links  which,  in  their  normal  condition, 
constitute  a  part  of  the  bus  bars. 

Each  of  the  oil  switches  between  incoming  circuits 
and  bus  bars  is  arranged  for  automatic  operation  and  is 
equipped  with  a  reversed  current  relay,  which,  in  the  case 
of  a  short-circuit  in  its  alternating  current  feeder  cable 
opens  the  switch  and  so  disconnects  the  cable  from  the 
sub-station  without  interference  with  the  operation  of  the 
other  cables  or  the  converting  machinery. 

The  organization  of  electrical 
conductors  provided  to  convey  direct 
current  from  the  sub-stations  to  the 
moving  trains  can  be  described  most 
conveniently  by  beginning  with  the 
contact,  or  so-called  third  rail.  South 
of  96th  Street  the  average  distance 
between  sub-stations  approximates 
12,000  feet,  and  north  of  96th  Street 


The  three  conductor  cables  which  convey 
tri-phase  currents  from  the  power  house  are 
carried  through  tile  ducts  from  the  manholes 
located  in  the  street  directly  in  front  of  each 
sub-station  to  the  back  of  the  station  where 
the  end  of  the  cable  is  connected  directly 
beneath  its  oil  switch.  The  three  conductors, 
now  well  separated,  extend  vertically  to  the 
fixed  terminals  of  the  switch.  In  each  sub- 
station but  one  set  of  high-potential  alternating 
current  bus  bars  is  installed  and  between  each 
incoming  cable  and  these  bus  bars  is  connected 
an  oil  switch.  In  like  manner,  between  each 
converter  unit  and  the  bus  bars  an  oil  switch 
is  connected  into  the  high  potential  circuit. 
The  bus  bars  are  so  arranged  that  they  may 
be  divided  into  any  number  of  sections  not 
exceeding  the  number  of  converter  units,  by 


Direct  Current 
Distribution 
from 
Sub-Stations 


CONTACT    HAIL    INSULATOR 


PAGE   114    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUB  \V  A  Y 


the  average  distance  is  about  15,000  feet.  Each  track,  of  course,  is  provided  with  a  contact  rail. 
There  are  four  tracks  and  consequently  four  contact  rails  from  City  Hall  to  96th  Street,  three  from  96th 
Street  to  Hfth  Street  on  the  West  Side,  two  from  i45th  Street  to  Dyckman  Street,  and  three  from  Dyck- 
man  Street  to  the  northern  terminal  of  the  West  Side  extension  of  the  system.  From  96th  Street,  the  East 
Side  has  two  tracks  and  two  contact  rails  to  Mott  Avenue,  and  from  that  point  to  the  terminal  at  i8id  Street 
three  tracks  and  three  contact  rails. 

Contact  rails  south  of  Reade  Street  are  supplied  from  sub-station  No.  n;  from  Reade  Street  to  i9th 
Street  they  are  supplied  from  sub-stations  Nos.  n  and  12;  from  I9th  Street  they  are  supplied  from  sub- 
stations Nos.  12  and  13;  from  the  point  last  named  to  96th  Street  they  are  supplied  from  sub-stations  Nos. 
13  and  14;  from  96th  Street  to  I43d  Street,  on  the  West  Side,  they  are  supplied  from  sub-stations  Nos.  14 
and  15;  from  I43d  Street  to  Dyckman  Street  they  are  supplied  from  sub-stations  Nos.  15  and  17  ;  and  from 
that  point  to  the  terminal  they  are  supplied  from  sub-station  No.  17.  On  the  East  Side  branch  contact  rails 
from  96th  Street  to  I32d  Street  are  supplied  from  sub-stations  Nos.  14  and  16;  from  I32d  to  i6fth  Street 
they  are  supplied  from  sub-stations  Nos.  16  and  18;  and.from  1651!!  Street  to  i82d  Street  they  are  supplied 
from  sub-station  No.  18. 


INTER   BOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT    PAGE  1J5 


THE       SUBWAY 


Each  contact  rail  is  insulated  from  all  contact  rails  belonging  to  adjacent  tracks.  This  is  done  in  order 
that  in  case  of  derailment  or  other  accident  necessitating  interruption  of  service  on  a  given  track,  trains  may 
be  operated  upon  the  other  tracks  having  their  separate  and  independent  channels  of  electrical  supply.  To 
make  this  clear,  we  may  consider  that  section  of  the  subway  which  lies  between  Reade  Street  and  igth  Street. 
This  section  is  equipped  with  four  tracks,  and  the  contact  rail  for  each  track,  together  with  the  direct  current 
feeders  which  supply  it  from  sub-stations  Nos.  n  and  12,  are  electrically  insulated  from  all  other  circuits. 
Of  each  pair  of  track  rails  one  is  used  for  the  automatic  block  signaling  system,  and,  therefore,  is  not  used 
as  a  part  of  the  negative  or  return  side  of  the  direct  current  system.  The  other  four  track  rails,  however,  are 
bonded,  and  together  with  the  negative  feeders  constitute  the  track  return  or  negative  side  of  the  direct  cur- 
rent system. 

The  diagram  on  page  109  illustrates  the  connections  of  the  contact  rails,  track  rails  and  the  positive  and 
negative  feeders.  All  negative  as  well  as  positive  feeders  are  cables  of  2,000,000  c.  m.  section  and  lead 
sheathed.  In  emergency,  as,  for  example,  in  the  case  of  the  destruction  of  a  number  of  the  cables  in  a  man- 
hole, they  are,  therefore,  interchangeable.  The  connections  are  such  as  to  minimize  "track  drop,"  as  will  be 
evident  upon  examination  of  the  diagram.  The  electrical  separation  of  the  several  contact  rails  and  the  pos- 
itive feeders  connected  thereto  secures  a  further  important  advantage  in  permitting  the  use  at  sub-stations  of 
direct-current  circuit-breakers  of  moderate  size  and  capacity,  which  can  be  set  to  open  automatically  at  much 
lower  currents  than  would  be  practicable  were  all  contact  rails  electrically  connected,  thus  reducing  the  limit- 
ing current  and  consequently  the  intensity  of  the  arcs  which  might  occur  in  the  subway  in  case  of  short-cir- 
cuit between  contact  rail  and  earth. 

The  contact  rail  itself  is  of  special  soft  steel,  to  secure  high  conductivity.  Its  composition,  as  shown  by 
tests,  is  as  follows:  Carbon,  .08  to  .15;  silicon,  .05;  phosphorus,  .10;  manganese,  .50  to  .70;  and 
sulphur,  .05.  Its  resistance  is  not  more  than  eight  times  the  resistance  of  pure  copper  of  equal  cross-section. 
The  section  chosen  weighs  75  pounds  per  yard.  The  length  used  in  general  is  60  feet,  but  in  some  cases 
40  feet  lengths  are  substituted.  The  contact  rails  are  bounded  'jy  four  bonds,  aggregating  1,200,000  c.  m. 
section.  The  bonds  are  of  flexible  copper  and  their  terminals  are  riveted  to  the  steel  by  hydraulic  presses, 
producing  a  pressure  of  35  tons.  The  bonds  when  in  use  are  covered  by  special  malleable  iron  fish-plates 
which  insure  alignment  of  rail.  Each  length  of  rail  is  anchored  at  its  middle  point  and  a  small  clearance  is 
allowed  between  ends  of  adjacent  rails  for  expansion  and  contraction,  which  in  the  subway,  owing  to  the  relatively 
small  change  of  temperature,  will  be  reduced  to  a  minimum.  The  photographs  on  pages  110  and  ill 
illustrate  the  method  of  bonding  the  rail,  and  show  the  bonded  joint  completed  by  the  addition  of  the  fish-plates. 

The  contact  rail  is  carried  upon  block  insulators  supported  upon  malleable  iron  castings.  Castings  of 
the  same  material  are  used  to  secure  the  contact  rail  in  position  upon  the  insulators.  A  photograph  of  the 
insulator  with  its  castings  is  shown  on  page  113. 

The  track  rails  are  33  feet  long,  of  Standard  American  Society  Civil  Engineers'  section,  weighing  100 
pounds  a  yard.  As  has  been  stated,  one  rail  in  each  track  is  used  for  signal  purposes  and  the  other  is  utilized 
as  a  part  of  the  negative  return  of  the  power  system.  Adjacent  rails  to  be  used  for  the  latter  purpose  are 
bonded  with  two  copper  bonds  having  an  aggregate  section  of  400,000  c.  m.  These  bonds  are  firmly 
riveted  into  the  web  of  the  rail  by  screw  bonding  presses.  They  are  covered  by  splice  bars,  designed  to 
leave  sufficient  clearance  for  the  bond. 


PAGE  n6iNTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


Contact  Rail 
Guard  and 
Collector  Shoe 


THE       SUBWAY 


The  return  rails  are  cross-sectioned  at  frequent  intervals  for  the  purpose  of  equalizing  currents  which 
traverse  them. 

The  Interborough  Company  has  provided  a  guard  in  the  form  of  a  plank  8 1/2  inches  wide  and  i  yt 
inches  thick,  which  is  supported  in  a  horizontal  position  directly  above  the  rail,  as  shown  in  the  illustration 
on  page  113.  This  guard  is  carried  by  the  contact  rail  to  which  it  is  secured  by  supports,  the  construction  of 
which  is  sufficiently  shown  in  the  illustration.  This  type  of  guard  has  been  in  successful  use  upon  the 
Wilkesbarre  and  Hazleton  Railway  for  nearly  two  years.  It  practically  eliminates  the  danger  from  the  third 
rail,  even  should  passengers  leave  the  trains  and  walk  through  a  section  of  the  tunnel  while  the  rails  are 
charged. 

Its  adoption  necessitates  the  use  of  a  collecting  shoe  differing  radically  from  that  used  upon  the  Man- 
hattan division  and  upon  the  elevated  railways  employing  the  third  rail  system  in  Chicago,  Boston,  Brooklyn, 
and  elsewhere.  The  shoe  is  shown  in  the  photograph  on  page  i  14.  The  shoe  is  held  in  contact  with  the 
third  rail  by  gravity  reinforced  by  pressure  from  two  spiral  springs.  The  support  for  the  shoe  includes 
provision  for  vertical  adjustment  to  compensate  for  wear  of  car  wheels,  etc. 


CHAPTER    VI 
ELECTRICAL   EQUIPMENT    OF    CARS 

IN  DETERMINING  the  electrical  equipment  of  the  trains,  the  company  has  aimed  to  secure  an  organ- 
ization of  motors  and  control  apparatus  easily  adequate  to  operate  trains  in  both  local  and  express  service 
at  the  highest  speeds  compatible  with  safety  to  the  traveling  public.  For  each  of  the  two  classes  of  service 
the  limiting  safe  speed  is  fixed  by  the  distance  between  stations  at  which  the  trains  stop,  by  curves,  and  by 
grades.  Except  in  a  few  places,  for  example  where  the  East  Side  branch  passes  under  the  Harlem  River,  the 
tracks  are  so  nearly  level  that  the  consideration  of  grade  does  not  materially  affect  determination  of  the 
limiting  speed.  While  the  majority  of  the  curves  are  of  large  radius,  the  safe  limiting  speed,  particularly 
for  the  express  service,  is  necessarily  considerably  less  than  it  would  be  on  straight  tracks. 

The  average  speed  of  express  trains  between  City  Hall  and  I4£th  Street  on  the  West  Side  will  ap- 
proximate 25  miles  an  hour,  including  stops.  The  maximum  speed  of  trains  will  be  45  miles  per  hour. 
The  average  speed  of  local  and  express  trains  will  exceed  the  speed  made  by  the  trains  on  any  elevated 
railroad. 

To  attain  these  speeds  without  exceeding  maximum  safe  limiting  speeds  between  stops,  the  equipment 
provided  will  accelerate  trains  carrying  maximum  load  at  a  rate  of  1.25  miles  per  hour  per  second  in  starting 
from  stations  on  level  track.  To  obtain  the  same  acceleration  by  locomotives,  a  draw-bar  pull  of  44,000 
pounds  would  be  necessary  —  a  pull  equivalent  to  the  maximum  effect  of  six  steam  locomotives  such  as 
were  used  recently  upon  the  Manhattan  Elevated  Railway  in  New  York,  and  equivalent  to  the  pull  which 
can  be  exerted  by  two  passenger  locomotives  of  the  latest  Pennsylvania  Railroad  type.  Two  of  these 
latter  would  weigh  about  250  net  tons.  By  the  use  of  the  multiple  unit  system  of  electrical  control, 
equivalent  results  in  respect  to  rate  of  acceleration  and  speed  are  attained,  the  total  addition  to  train  weight 
aggregating  but  55  net  tons. 

If  the  locomotive  principle  of  train  operation  were  adopted,  therefore,  it  is  obvious  that  it  would  be 
necessary  to  employ  a  lower  rate  of  acceleration  for  express  trains.  This  could  be  attained  without  very 
material  sacrifice  of  average  speed,  since  the  average  distance  between  express  stations  is  nearly  two  miles. 
In  the  case  of  local  trains,  however,  which  average  nearly  three  stops  per  mile,  no  considerable  reduction 
in  the  acceleration  is  possible  without  a  material  reduction  in  average  speed.  The  weight  of  a  local  train 
exceeds  the  weight  of  five  trail  cars,  similarly  loaded,  by  33  net  tons,  and  equivalent  adhesion  and  acceleration 
would  require  locomotives  having  not  less  than  80  net  tons  effective  upon  drivers. 

The  multiple  unit  system  adopted  possesses  material  advantages  over  a  locomotive  system  in  respect  to 
switching  at  terminals.  Some  of  the  express  trains  in  rush  hours  will  comprise  eight  cars,  but  at  certain 
times  during  the  day  and  night  when  the  number  of  people  requiring  transportation  is  less  than  during 
the  morning  and  evening,  and  were  locomotives  used  an  enormous  amount  of  switching,  coupling  and 


PAGE  uSiNTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Motors 


Motor 
Control 


2OO  H.   P.    RAILWAY    MOTOR 


uncoupling  would  be  involved  by  the  comparative  frequent  changes  of  train  lengths. 
In  an  eight-car  multiple-unit  express  train,  the  first,  third,  fifth,  sixth,  and 
eighth  cars  will  be  motor  cars,  while  the  second,  fourth, 
and  seventh  will  be  trail  cars.     An  eight-car  train  can  be 
reduced,  therefore,  to  a  six-car  train  by  uncoupling  two 
cars  from  either  end,  to  a  five-car  train  by  un- 
coupling three  cars  from  the  rear  end,  or  to  a 
three-car  train  by  uncoupling    five    cars  from 
either    end.      In    each    case    a    motor    car  will 
remain  at  each  end  of  the  reduced  train.      In 
like  manner,  a  five-car  local  train  may  be  re- 
duced to  three  cars,  still  leaving  a  motor  car  at 
each  end  by  uncoupling  two  cars  from  either 

end,  since  in  the  normal  five-car  local  train  the  first,  third, 
and  fifth  cars  will  be  motor  cars. 

The  motors  are  of  the  direct  current  series  type  and 
are  rated  200  horse  power  each.     They  have  been  especially 
designed  for  the  subway  service  in   line  with  specifications 
prepared  by  engineers  of  the  Interborough  Company,  and 
will  operate  at  an  average  effective  potential  of  570  volts. 
They  are  supplied  by  two  manufacturers  and  differ 
in  respect  to  important  features  of  design 
and  construction,  but  both  are  believed 
to   be  thoroughly  adequate  for  the    in- 
tended service. 

The  photographs  on  this 
page  illustrate  motors  of 
each  make.     The  weight  of  one 
200  H.  P.  RAILWAY  MOTOR     make  complete,  with  gear  and 

gear  case,  is  5,900  pounds.  The  corresponding  weight  of  the  other  is  5,750 
pounds.  The  ratio  of  gear  reduction  used  with  one  motor 
is  19  to  63,  and  with  the  other  motor  20  to  63. 

By  the  system  of  motor  control  adopted 
for  the  trains,  the  power  delivered  to  the 
various  motors  throughout  the  train  is 
simultaneously  controlled  and  regulated 
by  the  motorman  at  the  head  of  the  train. 
This  is  accomplished  by  means  of  a  sys- 
tem of  electric  circuits  comprising  essen- 
tially a  small  drum  controller  and  an 


2OO  H.    I*.    RAILWAY    MOTOR 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  IJ9 


THE       SUBWAY 


orgamza- 
tuating  cir- 
v  e  y  i  n  g 
rents  which  en- 
magnets  placed  be- 
so    open    and   close 
cuits  which  supply  en- 
controller    is    mounted 
each  end  of  each  motor 
may  be  operated  from  any 
motorman  normally  taking 
of  the  first  car.     The  switches 


APPARATUS     UNDER    COMPOSITE    MOTOR    CAR 


tion   of  ac- 
cuits   con- 
small  cur- 
ergize  electric 
neath   the  cars,  and 
the  main  power  cir- 
ergy  to  the  motors.     A 
upon    the    platform    at 
and    the    entire    train 
one    of    these    points,    the 
his  post  on  the  front  platform 
which  open  and  close  the  power 
rheostats  are  called  contactors, 
blow-out  switch  and  the  electro 
movements  of  the  switch.     By 
ries-multiple  control  of  direct- 
The  primary  or  control  circuits 
only  of  the  contactors  but  also 
which  the  direction  of  the  cur- 


circuits  through  motors  and 
each  comprising  a  magnetic 
magnet  which  controls  the 
these  contactors  the  usual  se- 
current  motors  is  effected, 
regulate  the  movement,  not 
of  the  reverser,  by  means  of 
rent  supplied  to  motors  may  be  reversed  at  the  will  of  the  motorman. 

The  photograph  on  this  page  shows  the  complete  control  wiring  and  motor  equipment  of  a  motor  car 
as  seen  beneath  the  car.  In  wiring  the  cars  unusual  precautions  have  been  adopted  to  guard  against  risk  of 
fire.  As  elsewhere  described  in  this  publication,  the  floors  of  all  motor  cars  are  protected  by  sheet  steel  and 
a  material  composed  of  asbestos  and  silicate  of  soda,  which  possesses  great  heat-resisting  properties.  In 
addition  to  this,  all  of  the  important  power  wires  beneath  the  car  are  placed  in  conduits  of  fireproof  material, 
of  which  asbestos  is  the  principal  constituent.  Furthermore,  the  vulcanized  rubber  insulation  of  the  wires 
themselves  is  covered  with  a  special  braid  of  asbestos,  and  in  order  to  diminish  the  amount  of  combustible 
insulating  material,  the  highest  grade  of  vulcanized  rubber  has  been  used,  and  the  thickness  of  the  insulation 
correspondingly  reduced.  It  is  confidently  believed  that  the  woodwork  of  the  car  body  proper  cannot  be 
seriously  endangered  by  an  accident  to  the  electric  apparatus  beneath  the  car.  Insulation  is  necessarily  com- 
bustible, and  in  burning  evolves  much  smoke;  occasional  accidents  to  the  apparatus,  notwithstanding  every 
possible  precaution,  will  sometimes  happen;  and  in  the  subway  the  flash  even  of  an  absolutely  insignificant 
fuse  may  be  clearly  visible  and  cause  alarm.  The  public  traveling  in  the  subway  should  remember  that  even 
very  severe  short-circuits  and  extremely  bright  flashes  beneath  the  car  involve  absolutely  no  danger  to  passen- 
gers who  remain  inside  the  car. 

The  photograph  on  page  1 20  illustrates  the  control  wiring  of  the  new  steel  motor  cars.  The  method  of 
assembling  the  apparatus  differs  materially  from  that  adopted  in  wiring  the  outfit  of  cars  first  ordered,  and,  as 
the  result  of  greater  compactness  which  has  been  attained,  the  aggregate  length  of  the  wiring  has  been 
reduced  one-third. 

The  quality  and  thickness  of  the  insulation  is  the  same  as  in  the  case  of  the  earlier  cars,  but  the  use  of 


PAGE  120    INTER   BOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Heating 

and 

Lighting 


asbestos    conduits  is  aban- 
doned and  iron   pipe  sub- 
stituted.     In  every  respect 
it  is  believed  that  the  design 
and  workmanship  employed 
in  mounting  and  wiring  the 
motors  and  control  equipments 
under  these  steel  cars  is  unequaled 
elsewhere  in  similar  work  up  to  the 
present  time. 

The  motors  and  car  wiring  are  pro- 
tected by  a  carefully  planned  system  of 
fuses,  the  function  of  which  is  to  melt  and 
open  the  circuits,  so  cutting  off  power  in  case 
of  failure  of  insulation. 

Express  trains  and  local  trains  alike  are 
provided  with  a  bus  line,  which  intercon- 
nects the  electrical  supply  to  all  cars 
and  prevents  interruption  of  the  de- 
livery of  current  to  motors  in  case  the 
collector  shoes  attached  to  any  given  car 
should  momentarily  fail  to  make  contact  with  the  third 
rail.  At  certain  cross-overs  this  operates  to  prevent  extinguishing  the  lamps  in  successive  cars  as  the  train  passes 
from  one  track  to  another.  The  controller  is  so  constructed  that  when  the  train  is  in  motion  the  motorman 
is  compelled  to  keep  his  hand  upon  it,  otherwise  the  power  is  automatically  cut  off  and  the  brakes  are  applied. 

This  important  safety  device,  which,  in  case  a  motorrnan  be  suddenly  inca- 
pacitated at  his  post,  will  promptly  stop  the  train,  is  a  recent  invention  and  is 
first  introduced  in  practical  service  upon  trains  of  the  Interborough  Company. 
All  cars  are  heated  and  lighted  by  electricity.  The  heaters  are  placed  beneath 
the  seats,  and  special  precautions  have  been  taken  to  insure  uniform  distribution 
of  the  heat.  The  wiring  for  heaters  and  lights  has  been  practically  safe-guarded 
to  avoid,  so  far  as  possible,  all  risk  of  short-circuit  or  fire,  the  wire  used  for  the 
heater  circuits  being  carried  upon  porcelain  insulators  from  all  woodwork  by 
large  clearances,  while  the  wiring  for  lights  is  carried  in  metallic  conduit. 
All  lamp  sockets  are  specially  designed  to  prevent  possibility  of  fire  and  are 
separated  from  th&  woodwork  of  the  car  by  air  spaces  and  by  asbestos. 

The  interior  of  each  car  is  lighted  by  twenty-six  lo-candle  power  lamps,  in 
addition  to  four  lamps  provided  for  platforms  and  markers.  The  lamps  for 
lighting  the  interior  are  carefully  located,  with  a  view  to  securing  uniform  and 
effective  illumination. 


CHAPTER     VII 

LIGHTING   SYSTEM    FOR    PASSENGER   STATIONS   AND   TUNNEL 

IN  THE  initial  preparation  of  plans,  and  more  than  a  year  before  the  accident  which  occurred  in  the 
subway  system  of  Paris  in  August,  1903,  the  engineers  of  the  Interborough  Company  realized  the  impor- 
tance of  maintaining  lights  in  the  subway  independent  of  any  temporary  interruption  of  the  power 
used  for  lighting  the  cars,  and,  in  preparing  their  plans,  they  provided  for  lighting  the  subway  throughout  its 
length  from  a  source  independent  of  the  main  power  supply.  For  this  purpose  three  i,25O-kilowatt  alternators 
direct-driven  by  steam  turbines  are  installed  in  the  power  house,  from  which  point  a  system  of  primary 
cables,  transformers  and  secondary  conductors  convey  current  to  the  incandescent  lamps  used  solely  to  light 
the  subway.  The  alternators  are  of  the  three-phase  type,  making  1,200  revolutions  per  minute  and 
delivering  current  at  a  frequency  of  60  cycles  per  second  at  a  potential  of  11,000  volts.  In  the  boiler  plant 
and  system  of  steam  piping  installed  in  connection  with  these  turbine-driven  units,  provision  is  made  for 
separation  of  the  steam  supply  from  the  general  supply  for  the  5,000  kilowatt  units  and  for  furnishing  the 
steam  for  the  turbine  units  through  either  of  two  alternative  lines  of  pipe. 

The  1 1 ,000  volt  primary  current  is  conveyed  through  paper  insulated  lead-sheathed  cables  to 
transformers,  located  in  fireproof  compartments  adjacent  to  the  platforms  of  the  passenger  stations.  These 
transformers  deliver  current  to  two  separate  systems  of  secondary  wiring,  one  of  which  is  supplied  at  a 
potential  of  120  volts  and  the  other  at  600  volts. 

The  general  lighting  of  the  passenger  station  platforms  is  effected  by  incandescent  lamps  supplied  from, 
the  1 20  volt  secondary  wiring  circuits,  while  the  lighting  of  the  subway  sections  between  adjacent  stations  is 
accomplished  by  incandescent  lamps  connected  in  series  groups  of  five  each  and  connected  to  the  600  volt 
lighting  circuits.  Recognizing  the  fact  that  in  view  of  the  precautions  taken  it  is  probable  that  interruptions 
of  the  alternating  current  lighting  service  will  be  infrequent,  the  possibility  of  such  interruption  is  nevertheless 
provided  for  by  installing  upon  the  stairways  leading  to  passenger  station  platforms,  at  the  ticket  booths  and 
over  the  tracks  in  front  of  the  platforms,  a  number  of  lamps  which  are  connected  to  the  contact  rail  circuit. 
This  will  provide  light  sufficient  to  enable  passengers  to  see  stairways  and  the  edges  of  the  station  platforms 
in  case  of  temporary  failure  of  the  general  lighting  system. 

The  general  illumination  of  the  passenger  stations  is  effected  by  means  of  32  c.  p.  incandescent  lamps, 
placed  in  recessed  domes  in  the  ceiling.  These  are  reinforced  by  14  c.  p.  and  32  c.  p.  lamps,  carried  by 
brackets  of  ornate  design  where  the  construction  of  the  station  does  not  conveniently  permit  the  use  of 
ceiling  lights.  The  lamps  are  enclosed  in  sand-blasted  glass  globes,  and  excellent  distribution  is  secured  by 
the  use  of  reflectors. 

The  illustration  on  page  122  is  produced  from  a  photograph  of  the  interior  of  one  of  the  transformer 
cupboards  and  shows  the  transformer  in  place  with  the  end  bell  of  the  high  potential  cable  and  the  primary 


PAGE   122    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       S  I,1  B  \V  A  Y 


Lighting  of 
the  Power 
House 


switchboard  containing  switches  and  enclosed  fuses.  The  illustration  on  page  123  shows  one  of  the 
secondary  distributing  switchboards  which  are  located  immediately  behind  the  ticket  booths,  where  they  are 
under  the  control  of  the  ticket  seller. 

In  lighting  the  subway  between  passenger  stations,  it  is  desirable,  on  the  one  hand,  to  provide  sufficient 
light  for  track  inspection  and  to  permit  employees  passing  along  the  subway  to  see  their  way  clearly  and 
avoid  obstructions ;  but,  on  the  other  hand,  the  lighting  must  not  be  so  brilliant  as  to  interfere  with  easy 
sight  and  recognition  of  the  red,  yellow,  and  green  signal  lamps  of  the  block  signal  system.  It  is  necessary  also 
that  the  lights  for  general  illumination  be  so  placed  that  their  rays  shall  not  fall  directly  upon  the  eyes  of 
approaching  motormen  at  the  head  of  trains  nor  annoy  passengers  who  may  be  reading  their  papers  inside  the 
cars.  The  conditions  imposed  by  these  considerations  are  met  in  the  four-track  sections  of  the  subway  by 

placing  a  row  of  incandes- 
cent lamps  between  the 
north-bound  local  and  ex- 
press tracks  and  a  similar 
row  between  the  south- 
bound local  and  express 
tracks.  The  lamps  are 
carried  upon  brackets  sup- 
ported upon  the  iron 
columns  of  the  subway 
structure,  successive  lamps 
in  each  row  being  60  feet 
apart.  They  are  located 
a  few  inches  above  the  tops 
of  the  car  windows  and 
with  reference  to  the  direc- 
tion of  approaching  trains 
the  lamps  in  each  row  are 
carried  upon  the  far  side 
of  the  iron  columns,  by 
which  expedient  the  eyes 
of  the  approaching  motor- 
men  are  sufficiently  pro- 
tected against  their  direct 
rays. 

For  the  general  illu- 
mination of  the  engine 
room,  clusters  of  Nernst 
lamps  are  supported  from 

T*AH«FO«MI«    COMFAtTMINT    IN    rAS»NGE«    ITAT1ON  the    TOof  trUSSCS    and    3.    TOW 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


THE       SUBWAY 


TRANSIT    PAGE  I23 


of  single  lamps  of  the 
same  type  is  carried  on 
the  lower  gallery  about 
25  feet  from  the  floor. 
This  is  the  first  power 
house  in  America  to  be 
illuminated  by  these 
lamps.  The  quality  of 
the  light  is  unsurpassed 
and  the  general  effect  of 
the  illumination  most 
satisfactory  and  agreeable 
to  the  eye.  In  addition 
to  the  Nernst  lamps,  16 
c.  p.  incandescent  lamps 
are  placed  upon  the  en- 
gines and  along  the  gal- 
leries in  places  not  con- 
veniently reached  by  the 
general  illumination. 
The  basement  also  is 
lighted  by  incandescent 
lamps. 

For  the  boiler  room, 
a  row  of  Nernst  lamps  in 
front  of  the  batteries  of 
boilers  is  provided,  and, 
in  addition  to  these, 
incandescent  lamps  are 
used  in  the  passageways 

around  the  boilers,  at  gauges  and  at  water  columns.  The  basement  of  the  boiler  room,  the  pump  room, 
the  economizer  floor,  coal  bunkers,  and  coal  conveyers  are  lighted  by  incandescent  lamps,  while  arc  lamps  are 
used  around  the  coal  tower  and  dock.  The  lights  on  the  engines  and  those  at  gauge  glasses  and  water 
columns  and  at  the  pumps  are  supplied  by  direct  current  from  the  250  volt  circuits.  All  other  incandescent 
lamps  and  the  Nernst  lamps  are  supplied  through  transformers  from  the  60  cycle  lighting  system.  Emergency 

In  the  booth  of  each  ticket  seller  and  at  every  manhole  along  the  west  side  of  the  subway  and  its   Signal  System 
branches  is  placed  a  glass-covered  box  of  the  kind  generally  used  in  large  American  cities  for  fire  alarm  pur-  and  Provision 
poses.      In  case  of  accident  in  the  subway  which  may  render  it  desirable  to  cut  off  power  from  the  contact  for  Cutting  Off 
rails,  this  result  can  be  accomplished  by  breaking  the  glass  front  of  the  emergency  box  and  pulling  the  hook   Power  from 
provided.     Special  emergency  circuits  are  so  arranged  that  pulling  the  hook  will  instantly  open  all  the  circuit-  Contact  Rail 


SECONDARY     DISTRIBUTING    SWITCHBOARD    AT    PASSENGER    STATION 


PAGE  i24INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUB  W  A  Y 


breakers  at  adjacent  sub-stations  through  which  the  contact  rails  in  the  section  affected  receive  their  supply 
of  power.  It  will  also  instantly  report  the  location  of  the  trouble,  annunciator  gongs  being  located  in  the 
sub-stations  from  which  power  is  supplied  to  the  section,  in  the  train  dispatchers'  offices  and  in  the  office  <>t 
the  General  Superintendent,  instantly  intimating  the  number  of  the  box  which  has  been  pulled.  Automatic 
recording  devices  in  train  dispatchers'  offices  and  in  the  office  of  the  General  Superintendent  also  note  the 
number  of  the  box  pulled. 

The  photograph  on  page  i  20  shows  a  typical  fire  alarm  box. 


CHAPTER    VIII 

ROLLING  STOCK  — CARS,  TRUCKS,  ETC. 


f~  \  ~"^HE  determination  of  the  builders  of  the  road  to  improve  upon  the  best  devices  known  in  electrical 
j£  railroading  and  to  provide  an  equipment  unequaled  on  any  interurban  line  is  nowhere  better 
-^-  illustrated  than  in  the  careful  study  given  to  the  types  of  cars  and  trucks  used  on  other  lines 
before  a  selection  was  made  of  those  to  be  employed  on  the  subway. 

All  of  the  existing  rapid  transit  railways  in  this  country,  and  many  of  those  abroad,  were 
visited  and  the  different  patterns  of  cars  in  use  were  considered  in  this  investigation,  which  in- 
cluded a  study  of  the  relative  advantages  of  long  and  short  cars,  single  and  multiple  side  entrance 
cars  and  end  entrance  cars,  and  all  of  the  other  varieties  which  have  been  adopted  for  rapid  transit  service 
abroad  and  at  home. 

The  service  requirement  of  the  New  York  subway  introduces  a  number  of  unprecedented  conditions, 
and  required  a  complete  redesign  of  all  the  existing  models.  The  general  considerations  to  be  met  included 
the  following: 

High  schedule  speeds  with  frequent  stops. 

Maximum  carrying  capacity  for  the  subway,  especially  at  times  of  rush  hours,  morning  and  evening. 

Maximum  strength  combined  with  smallest  permissible  weight. 

Adoption  of  all  precautions  calculated  to  reduce  possibility  of  damage  from  either  the  electric  circuit 
or  from  collisions. 

The  clearance  and  length  of  the  local  station  platforms  limited  the  length  of  trains,  and  tunnel  clear- 
ances the  length  and  width  and  height  of  the  cars. 

The  speeds  called  for  by  the  contract  with  the  city  introduced  motive  power  requirements  which  were 
unprecedented  in  any  existing  railway  service,  either  steam  or  electric,  and  demanded  a  minimum  weight 
consistent  with  safety.  As  an  example,  it  may  be  stated  that  an  express  train  of  eight  cars  in  the  subway  to 
conform  to  the  schedule  speed  adopted  will  require  a  nominal  power  of  motors  on  the  train  of  2,000  horse 
power,  with  an  average  accelerating  current  at  600  volts  in  starting  from  a  station  stop  of  325  amperes. 
This  rate  of  energy  absorption  which  corresponds  to  2,500  horse  power  is  not  far  from  double  that  taken  by 
the  heaviest  trains  on  trunk  line  railroads  when  starting  from  stations  at  the  maximum  rate  of  acceleration 
possible  with  the  most  powerful  modern  steam  locomotives. 

Such  exacting  schedule  conditions  as  those  mentioned  necessitated  the  design  of  cars,  trucks,  etc.,  of 
equivalent  strength  to  that  found  in  steam  railroad  car  and  locomotive  construction,  so  that  while  it  was 
essential  to  keep  down  the  weight  of  the  train  and  individual  cars  to  a  minimum,  owing  to  the  frequent 
stops,  it  was  equally  as  essential  to  provide  the  strongest  and  most  substantial  type  of  car  construction 
throughout. 


PAGE  i26INTERBOROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


Owing  to  these  two  essentials  which  were  embodied  in  their  construction  it  can  safely  be  asserted  that 
the  cars  used  in  the  subway  represent  the  acme  of  car  building  art  as  it  exists  to-day,  and  that  all  available 
appliances  for  securing  strength  and  durability  in  the  cars  and  immunity  from  accidents  have  been  introduced. 
After  having  ascertained  the  general  type  of  cars  which  would  be  best  adapted  to  the  subway  service, 
and  before  placing  the  order  for  car  equipments,  it  was  decided  to  build  sample  cars  embodying  the  approved 
principles  of  design.  From  these  the  management  believed  that  the  details  of  construction  could  be  more 
perfectly  determined  than  in  any  other  way.  Consequently,  in  the  early  part  of  1 902,  two  sample  cars  were 
built  and  equipped  with  a  variety  of  appliances  and  furnishings  so  that  the  final  type  could  be  intelligently 
selected.  From  the  tests  conducted  on  these  cars  the  adopted  type  of  car  which  is  described  in  detail  below 
was  evolved. 

After  the  design  had  been  worked  out  a  great  deal  of  difficulty  was  encountered  in  securing  satisfactory 
contracts  for  proper  deliveries,   on  account   of  the  congested   condition   of  the   car  building  works  in   the 

country.  Contracts  were  finally  closed, 
however,  in  December,  1902,  for  500 
cars,  and  orders  were  distributed  between 
four  car-building  firms.  Of  these  cars, 
some  200,  as  fast  as  delivered,  were  placed 
in  operation  on  the  Second  Avenue  line 
of  the  Elevated  Railway,  in  order  that 
they  might  be  thoroughly  tested  during 
the  winter  of  1903-4. 

In  view  of  the  peculiar  traffic  con- 
ditions existing  in  New  York  City  and  the 
restricted  siding  and  yard  room  available 
in  the  subway,  it  was  decided  that  one 
standard  type  of  car  for  all  classes  of 
service  would  introduce  the  most  flexible 
operating  conditions,  and  for  this  reason 
would  best  suit  the  public  demands  at 
different  seasons  of  the  year  and  hours  of 
the  day.  In  order  further  to  provide 
cars,  each  of  which  would  be  as  safe  as  the 
others,  it  was  essential  that  there  should 
be  no  difference  in  constructional  strength 
between  the  motor  cars  and  the  trail  cars. 
All  cars  were  therefore  made  of  one  type 
and  can  be  used  interchangeably  for  either 
motor  or  trail-car  service. 

The  motor  cars  carry  both  motors 
on  the  same  truck;  that  is,  they  have  a 


>.M>    VIEW    OF    STEEL    PASSENGER    CAR 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT     PAGR  I27 


THE       SUBWAY 


S1DK     VIEW    OK      STKEL    PASSENGER    CAR 


motor  truck  at  one  end  carrying  two  motors,  one  geared  to  each  axle;  the  truck  at  the  other  end  of  the 
car  is  a  "trailer"   and  carries   no  motive   power. 

Some  leading  distinctive  features  of  the  cars  may  be  enumerated  as  follows: 

(i.)  The  length  is  51  feet  and  provides  seating  capacity  for  52  passengers.  This  length  is  about  4 
feet  more  than  those  of  the  existing  Manhattan  Elevated  Railroad  cars. 

(2.)  The  enclosed  vestibule  platforms  with  sliding  doors  instead  of  the  usual  gates.  The  enclosed 
platforms  will  contribute  greatly  to  the  comfort  and  safety  of  passengers  under  subway  conditions. 

(3.)  The  anti-telescoping  car  bulkheads  and  platform  posts.  This  construction  is  similar  to  that  in 
use  on  Pullman  cars,  and  has  been  demonstrated  in  steam  railroad  service  to  be  an  important  safety 
appliance. 

(4.)  The  steel  underframing  of  the  car,  which  provides  a  rigid  and  durable  bed  structure  for  trans- 
mitting the  heavy  motive  power  stresses. 

(5.)      The  numerous  protective  devices  against  defects  in  the  electrical  apparatus. 

(6.)     Window  arrangement,  permitting  circulation  without  draughts. 

(7.)      Emergency  brake  valve  on  truck  operated  by  track  trip. 

(8.)     Emergency  brake  valve  in  connection  with  master-controller. 

The  table  on  page  133  shows  the  main  dimensions  of  the  car,  and  also  the  corresponding  dimensions  of 
the  standard  car  in  use  on  the  Manhattan  Elevated  Railway. 

The  general  arrangement  of  the  floor  framing  is  well  shown  in  the  photograph  on  page  132.  The  side 
sills  are  of  6-inch  channels,  which  are  reinforced  inside  and  out  by  white  oak  timbers.  The  center  sills  are 
5-inch  I-beams,  faced  on  both  sides  with  Southern  pine.  The  end  sills  are  also  of  steel  shapes,  securely 
attached  to  the  side  sills  by  steel  castings  and  forgings.  The  car  body  end-sill  channel  is  faced  with  a  white- 
oak  filler,  mortised  to  receive  the  car  body  end-posts  and  braced  at  each  end  by  gusset  plates.  The  body 
bolster  is  made  up  of  two  rolled  steel  plates  bolted  together  at  their  ends  and  supported  by  a  steel  draw 
casting,  the  ends  of  which  form  a  support  for  the  center  sills.  The  cross-bridging  and  needle-beams  of 
5-inch  I-beams  are  unusually  substantial.  The  flooring  inside  the  car  is  double  and  of  maple,  with  asbestos 
fire-felt  between  the  layers,  and  is  protected  below  by  steel  plates  and  "transite"  (asbestos  board). 

1  he  side  framing  of  the  car  is  of  white  ash,  doubly  braced  and  heavily  trussed.  There  are  seven 
composite  wrought-iron  carlines  forged  in  shape  for  the  roof,  each  sandwiched  between  two  white  ash 
carlines,  and  with  white  ash  intermediate  carlines.  The  platform  posts  are  of  compound  construction  with 


PAGE   128    iNTERBO-  ROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


EXTERIOK    VIEW STEEL    CAB     FRAMING 


anti-telescoping  posts  of  steel  bar  sandwiched  between  white  ash  posts  at  corners  and  centers  ot~  vestibuled 
platforms.  These  posts  are  securely  bolted  to  the  steel  longitudinal  sills,  the  steel  anti-telescoping  plate 
below  the  floor,  and  to  the  hood  of  the  bow  which  serves  to  reinforce  it.  This  bow  is  a  heavy  steel  angle 

in  one  piece,  reaching  from  plate  to 
plate  and  extending  back  into  the  car 
6  feet  on  each  side.  By  this  construc- 
tion it  is  believed  that  the  car  framing; 
is  practically  indestructible.  In  case  ot 
accident,  if  one  platform  should  ride 
over  another,  eight  square  inches  of 
metal  would  have  to  be  sheared  off  the 
posts  before  the  main  body  of  the  car 
would  be  reached,  which  would  afford 
an  effective  means  of  protection. 

The  floor  is  completely  covered 
on  the  underside  with  J4-inch  asbestos 
transite  board,  while  all  parts  of  the 
car  framing,  flooring,  and  sheathing  are  covered  with  fire-proofing  compound.  In  addition,  all  spaces 
above  the  motor  truck  in  the  floor  framing,  between  sills  and  bridging,  are  protected  by  plates  of  No.  8 
steel  and  ^-inch  roll  fire-felt  extending  from  the  platform  end  sill  to  the  bolster. 

The  precautions  to  secure  safety  from  fire  consists  generally  in  the  perfected  arrangement  and  installa- 
tion of  the  electrical  apparatus  and  the  wiring.  For  the  lighting  circuits  a  flexible  steel  conduit  is  used,  and 
a  special  junction  box.  On  the  side  and  upper  roofs,  over  these  conduits  for  the  lighting  circuits,  a  strip  of 
sheet  iron  is  securely  nailed  to  the  roof  boards  before  the  canvas  is  applied.  The  wires  under  the  floor  are 
carried  in  ducts  moulded  into  suitable  forms  of  asbestos  compound.  Special  precautions  have  been  taken 
with  the  insulation  of  the  wires,  the  specifications  calling  for,  first,  a  layer  of  paper,  next,  a  layer  of  rubber, 
and  then  a  layer  of  cotton  saturated  with  a  weather-proof  compound,  and  outside  of  this  a  layer  of  asbestos. 
The  hangers  supporting  the  rheostats  under  the  car  body  are  insulated  with  wooden  blocks,  treated  by  a  special 
process,  being  dried  out  in  an  oven  and  then  soaked  in  an  insulating  compound,  and  covered  with  >4-inch  "tran- 
site" board.  The  rheostat  boxes  themselves  are  also  insulated  from  the  angle  iron  supporting  them.  Where 
the  wires  pass  through  the  flooring  they  are  hermetically  sealed  to  prevent  the  admission  of  dust  and  dirt. 

At  the  forward  end  of  what  is  known  as  the  No.  i  end  of  the  car  all  the  wires  are  carried  to  a  slate 
switchboard  in  the  motorman's  cab.  This  board  is  44x27  inches,  and  is  mounted  directly  back  of  the 
motorman.  The  window  space  occupied  by  this  board  is  ceiled  up  and  the  space  back  of  the  panels  is 
boxed  in  and  provided  with  a  door  of  steel  plate,  forming  a  box,  the  cover,  top,  bottom,  and  sides  of  which 
are  lined  with  electrobestos  J^-inch  thick.  All  of  the  switches  and  fuses,  except  the  main  trolley  fuse  and 
bus-line  fuse,  which  are  encased  and  placed  under  the  car,  are  carried  on  this  switchboard.  Where  the  wires 
are  carried  through  the  floor  or  any  partition,  a  steel  chute,  lined  with  electrobestos,  is  used  to  protect  the 
wires  against  mechanical  injury.  It  will  be  noted  from  the  above  that  no  power  wiring,  switches,  or  fuses  are 
placed  in  the  car  itself,  all  such  devices  being  outside  in  a  special  steel  insulated  compartment. 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE   I29 


THE       SUBWAY 


MEN 


A  novel  feature  in  the  construction  of  these  cars  is  the  motorman's  compartment  and  vestibule,  which 
differs  essentially  from  that  used  heretofore,  and  the  patents  are  owned  by  the  Interborough  Company. 
The  cab  is  located  on  the  platform,  so  that  no  space  within  the  car  is  required;  at  the  same  time  the  entire 
platform  space  is  available  foringress  and  egress  except  that  on  the  front  platform  of  the  first  car,  on  which 
the  passengers  would  not  be  allowed  in  any  case.  The  side  of  the  cab  is  formed  by  a  door  which  can  be  placed 
in  three  positions.  When  in  its  mid-position  it  encloses  a  part  of  the  platform,  so  as  to  furnish  a  cab  for  the 
motorman,  but  when  swung  parallel  to  the  end  sills  it  encloses  the  end  of  the  platform,  and  this  would  be  its  posi- 
tion on  the  rear  platform  of  the  rear  car.  The  third  position  is  when  it  is  swung  around  to  an  arc  of  1 80  degrees, 
when  it  can  be  locked  in  position  against  the  corner  vestibule  post  enclosing  the  master  controller.  This  would 
be  its  position  on  all  platforms  except  on  the  front  of  the  front  car  or  the  rear  of  the  rear  car  of  the  train. 

The  platforms  themselves  are  not  equipped  with  side  gates,  but  with  doors  arranged  to  slide  into 
pockets  in  the  side  framing,  thereby  giving  up  the  entire  platform  to  the  passengers.  These  doors  are 
closed  by  an  overhead  lever  system.  The  sliding  door  on  the  front  platform  of  the  first  car  may  be  partly 
opened  and  secured  in  this  position  by  a  bar,  and  thus  serve  as  an  arm-rest  for  the  motorman.  The  doors 
close  against  an  air-cushion  stop,  making  it  impossible  to  clutch  the  clothing  or  limbs  of  passengers  in  closing. 


INTERIOR     VIEW  SKELETON    FRAMING    OF    STEEL    CA 


PAGE  130    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Pantagraph  safety  gates  for  coupling  between  cars  are  provided.  They  are  constructed  so  as  to  adjust 
themselves  to  suit  the  various  positions  of  adjoining  cars  while  passing  in,  around,  and  out  of  curves 
of  90  feet  radius. 

On  the  door  leading  from  the  vestibule  to  the  body  of  the  car  is  a  curtain  that  can  be  automatically- 
raised  and  lowered  as  the  door  is  opened  or  closed  to  shut  the  light  away  from  the  motorman.  Another 
attachment  is  the  peculiar  handle  on  the  sliding  door.  This  door  is  made  to  latch  so  that  it  cannot  slide 
open  with  the  swaying  of  the  car,  but  the  handle  is  so  constructed  that  when  pressure  is  applied  upon  it  to 
open  the  door,  the  same  movement  will  unlatch  it. 

Entering  the  car,  the  observer  is  at  once  impressed  by  the  amount  of  room  available  for  passengers. 
The  seating  arrangements  are  similar  to  the  elevated  cars,  but  the  subway  coaches  are  longer  and  wider 
than  the  Manhattan,  and  there  are  two  additional  seats  on  each  end.  The  seats  are  all  finished  in  rattan. 
Stationary  crosswise  seats  are  provided  after  the  Manhattan  pattern,  at  the  center  of  the  car.  The  longitu- 
dinal seats  are  17^  inches  deep.  The  space  between  the  longitudinal  seats  is  4  feet  5  inches. 

The  windows  have  two  sashes,  the  lower  one  being  stationary,  while  the  upper  one  is  a  drop  sash. 
This  arrangement  reverses  the  ordinary  practice,  and  is  desirable  in  subway  operation  and  to  insure  safety 
and  comfort  to  the  passengers.  The  side  windows  in  the  body  of  the  car,  also  the  end  windows  and  end 
doors,  are  provided  with  roll  shades  with  pinch-handle  fixtures. 


PROTECTED    WOODEN    CAR 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE 


T  H  K       S  LJ  B  W  A  Y 


The  floors  are  covered  with  hard  maple  strips,  securely  fastened  to  the  floor  with  ovalhead  brass  screws, 
thus  providing  a  clean,  dry  floor  for  all  conditions  of  weather. 

Six  single  incandescent  lamps  are  placed  on  the  upper  deck  ceiling,  and  a  row  of  ten  on  each  side  deck 
ceiling  is  provided.  There  are  two  lamps  placed  in  a  white  porcelain  dome  over  each  platform,  and  the 
pressure  gauge  is  also  provided  with  a  miniature  lamp. 

The   head   linings   are  of  composite   board.      The   interior  finish   is   of  mahogany   of  light   color.     A 

mahogany  handrail  extends 
the  full  length  of  the  clere- 
story on  each  side  of  the  car, 
supported  in  brass  sockets  at 
the  ends  and  by  heavy  brass 
brackets  on  each  side.  The 
handrail  on  each  side  of  the 
car  carries  thirty-eight  leather 
straps. 

Each  ventilator  sash  is 
secured   on  the   inside  to   a 


brass  operating  arm,  manipu- 
lated by  means  of  rods  run- 
ning along  each  side  of  the 
clerestory,  and  each  rod  is  operated  by  means  of  a  brass  lever,  having  a  fulcrum  secured  to  the  inside 
of  the  clerestory. 

All  hardware  is  of  bronze,  of  best  quality  and  heavy  pattern,  including  locks,  pulls,  handles,  sash 
fittings,  window  guards,  railing  brackets  and  sockets,  bell  cord  thimbles,  chafing  strips,  hinges,  and  all  other 
trimmings.  The  upright  panels  between  the  windows  and  the  corner  of  the  car  are  of  plain  mahogany,  as 
are  also  the  single  post  pilasters,  all  of  which  are  decorated  with  marquetry  inlaid.  The  end  finish  is  of 
mahogany,  forming  a  casing' for  the  end  door. 

At  the  time  of  placing  the  first  contract  for  the  rolling  stock  of  the  subway,  the  question  of  using  an   Steel  Cars 
all-steel  car  was  carefully  considered  by  the  management.      Such  a  type  of  car,  in  many  respects,  presented 
desirable   features   for   subway  work   as    representing    the    ultimate    of   absolute    incombustibility.      Certain 


KXTERIOR     VIEW  PROTECTED    WOODEN    CAR,     SHOWING    COPPER    SIDES 


FRAMING    OF    PROTECTED    WOODEN    CAR 


PAGE   132    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


practical  reasons,  however,  prevented  the  adoption  of  an  all-steel  car  in  the  spring  of  1902  when  it  became 
necessary  to  place  the  orders  mentioned  above  for  the  first  500  cars.  Principal  among  these  reasons  was  the 
fact  that  no  cars  of  this  kind  had  ever  been  constructed,  and  as  the  car  building  works  of  the  country  were 

in  a  very  congested  condition  all  of  the  larger  A        companies    declined    to    consider    any    standard 

^L. 
specifications  even  for  a  short-time  delivery,  /V^Vv      vv'hile  for    cars    involving    the   extensive    use 

of  metal   the  question  was  impossible  of        ^ff  ^^^         immediate  solution.     Again,  there  were 

Jy  ^^L 

a  number  of  very  serious   mechan-  Jr  cV  ical    difficulties    to    be    studied    and 


METAL    UNDERFRAME    OF    PROTECTED    WOODEN    CAR 


overcome  in  the  construction  of  such  a  car,  such  as  avoidance  of  excessive  weight,  a  serious  element 
in  a  rapid  transit  service,  insulation  from  the  extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  and  the  prevention  of  undue 
noise  in  operation.  It  was  decided,  therefore,  to  bend  all  energies  to  the  production  of  a  wooden  car  with 
sufficient  metal  for  strength  and  protection  from  accident,  i.  e.,  a  stronger,  safer,  and  better  constructed  car 
than  had  heretofore  been  put  in  use  on  any  electric  railway  in  the  world.  These  properties  it  is  believed  are 
embodied  in  the  car  which  has  just  been  described. 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  J33 


THE       SUBWAY 


U          I          P         M          E         N 


The  plan  of  an  all-metal  car,  however,  was  not  abandoned,  and  although  none  was  in  use  in  passenger 
service  anywhere,  steps  were  immediately  taken  to  design  a  car  of  this  type  and  conduct  the  necessary  tests 
to  determine  whether  it  would  be  suitable  for  railway  service.  None  of  the  car-building  companies  was 
willing  to  undertake  the  work,  but  the  courteous  cooperation  of  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad  Company  was 
secured  in  placing  its  manufacturing  facilities  at  Altoona  at  the  disposal  of  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit 
Railway  Company.  Plans  were  prepared 
for  an  all-metal  car,  and  after  about  four- 
teen months  of  work  a  sample  type  was 
completed  in  December,  1903,  which  was 
in  every  way  creditable  as  a  first  attempt. 

The  sample  car  naturally  embodied 
some  faults  which  only  experience  could 
correct,  the  principal  one  being  that  the 
car  was  not  only  too  heavy  for  use  on  the 
elevated  lines  of  the  company,  but  attained 
an  undesirable  weight  for  subway  opera- 
tion. From  this  original  design,  however, 
a  second  design  involving  very  original 
features  has  been  worked  out,  and  a  contract 
has  been  given  by  the  Interborough  Company  for  200  all-steel  cars,  which  are  now  being  constructed.  While 
the  expense  of  producing  this  new  type  of  car  has  obviously  been  great,  this  consideration  has  not  influenced  the 
management  of  the  company  in  developing  an  equipment  which  promised  the  maximum  of  operating  safety. 

The  general  dimensions  of  the  all-steel  car  differ  only  slightly  from  those  of  the  wooden  car.     The 
following  table  gives  the  dimensions  of  the  two  cars,  and  also  that  of  the  Manhattan  Railway  cars: 


END  VIEW  OF  MOTOR  TRUCK 


General 
Arrangements 


Wooden  Cars. 

Ail-Steel  Cars. 

Manhattan  Cars. 

Length  over  body  corner  posts,     

42  ft. 

7 

ins. 

41 

ft. 

y2 

in. 

39  ft- 

IO 

ins. 

Length  over  buffers,  

51  ft. 

2 

ins. 

51 

ft. 

2 

ins. 

47  ft. 

I 

in. 

Length  over  draw-bars,   

Sift. 

5 

ins. 

51 

ft. 

5 

ins. 

47  ft- 

4 

ins. 

Width  over  side  sills,       

8ft. 

8^ 

ins. 

8 

ft. 

634 

ins. 

8ft. 

6 

ins. 

Width  over  sheathing,     

8  ft. 

IO 

ins. 

8 

ft. 

7 

ins. 

8  ft. 

7 

ins. 

Width  over  window  sills,      

8ft. 

11% 

ins. 

9 

ft. 

in. 

8ft. 

9 

ins. 

Width  over  battens,    

8  ft. 

1034 

ins. 

8 

ft. 

71! 

ins. 

8  ft. 

7% 

ins. 

Width  over  eaves,       

8ft. 

8 

ins. 

8 

ft. 

8 

ins. 

8  ft. 

9*/2 

ins. 

Height  from  under  side  of  sill  to  top  of  plate, 

7ft. 

3% 

ins. 

7 

ft. 

i 

in. 

7  ft. 

3 

ins. 

Height  of  body  from  under  side  of  center  sill  to  top  of  roof, 

8  ft. 

9% 

ins. 

8 

ft. 

97A 

ins. 

9  ft. 

5% 

ins. 

Height  of  truck  from  rail  to  top  of  truck  center 

plate 

(car  light),       

2   ft. 

8 

ins. 

2 

ft. 

8 

ins. 

2   ft. 

Sti 

ins. 

Height  from  top  of  rail  to  underside  of  side  sill  at 

truck 

•s   /  ^ 

center  (car  light),     

1  ft. 

1  1/ 

ins. 

3 

ft. 

2^ 

ins. 

3  ft- 

31A 

ins. 

Height  from  top  of  rail  to  top  of  roof  not  to  exceed  (car 

*j  /  *f 

light)     

12  ft. 

3/ 

in. 

12 

ft. 

o 

in. 

12  ft. 

10^ 

ins. 

The  general  frame  plan  of  the  all-steel  car  is  clearly  shown  by  the  photograph  on  page  128.  As  will 
be  seen,  the  floor  framing  is  made  up  of  two  center  longitudinal  6-inch  I-beams  and  two  longitudinal  5x3- 
inch  steel  side  angles,  extending  in  one  piece  from  platform-end  sill  to  platform-end  sill.  The  end  sills  are 
angles  and  are  secured  to  the  side  and  center  sills  by  cast-steel  brackets,  and  in  addition  by  steel  anti-telescop- 


PAGE  134    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


Trucks 


THE       SUBWAY 


SIDE    VIEW    OF    MOTOR    TRUCK 


ing  plates,  which  are  placed  on  the  under  side  of  the  sills  and  riveted  thereto.  The  flooring  is  of  galvanized, 
corrugated  sheet  iron,  laid  across  the  longitudinal  sills  and  secured  to  longitudinal  angles  by  rivets.  This 
corrugated  sheet  holds  the  fireproof  cement  flooring  called  "monolith."  On  top  of  this  latter  are  attached 
longitudinal  floor  strips  for  a  wearing  surface.  The  platform  flooring  is  of  steel  plate  covered  with  rubber  mat- 
ting cemented  to  the  same.  The  side  and  end  frame  is  composed  of  single  and  compound  posts  made  of  steel 

angles  or  T's  and  the  roof  framing  of 
wrought-iron  carlines  and  purlines.  The 
sides  of  the  cars  are  double  and  com- 
posed of  steel  plates  on  the  outside, 
riveted  to  the  side  posts  and  belt  rails, 
and  lined  with  electro  bestos.  The  out- 
side roof  is  of  fireproof  composite  board, 
covered  with  canvas.  The  headlinings 
are  of  fireproof  composite,  faced  with 
aluminum  sheets.  The  mouldings 
throughout  are  of  aluminum.  The 
wainscoting  is  of  "transite"  board  and  aluminum,  and  the  end  finish  and  window  panels  are  of  aluminum, 
lined  with  asbestos  felt.  The  seat  frames  are  of  steel  throughout,  as  are  also  the  cushion  frames.  The  sash 
is  double,  the  lower  part  being  stationary  and  the  upper  part  movable.  The  doors  are  of  mahogany,  and 
are  of  the  sliding  type  and  are  operated  by  the  door  operating  device  already  described. 

Two  types  of  trucks  are   being  built,  one  for  the  motor  end,  the  other  for  the  trailer  end  of  the  car. 
The  following  are  the  principal  dimensions  of  the  trucks : 

Motor  Truck. 

Gauge  of  track, 4  ft.  8  ^  ins. 

Distance  between  backs  of  wheel  flanges, 4  ft.  5  fg  ins. 

Height  of  truck  center  plate  above  rail,  car  body  loaded  with  15,000  pounds,  30  ins. 

Height  of  truck  side  bearings  above  rail,  car  body  loaded, 34  ins. 

Wheel  base  of  truck, 6  ft.  8  ins. 

Weight  on  center  plate  with  car  body  loaded,  about 27,000  Ibs. 

Side  frames,  wrought-iron  forged, 2^  ins.  x  4  ins. 

Pedestals,  wrought-iron  forged, 

Center  transom,  steel  channel, 

Truck  bolster, cast  steel. 

Equalizing  bars,  wrought  iron, 

Center  plate,  cast  steel, 

Spring  plank,  wrought  iron, i  in.  x  3  ins. 

Bolster  springs,  elliptic,  length,  .  30  ins. 

Equalizing  springs,  double  coil,  outside  dimensions,  ....  4%  ins.  x  7*4  ms. 
Wheels,  cast  steel  spoke  center,  steel  tired,  diameter, 33^4  ins- 
Tires,  tread  M.  C.  B.  Standard, 2f£  ins.  x  5*4  ins. 

Axles,  diameter  at  center, (>l/2  ins. 

Axles,  diameter  at  gear  seat, llsAn  ins. 

Axles,  diameter  at  wheel  seat, 7^  ins. 

Journals, 5  ins.  x  9  ins. 

Journal  boxes,  malleable  iron,  M.  C.  B.  Standard, 


Trailer  Truck. 

4  ft.  8  l/2  ins. 
4  ft.  5 


ns. 


30   ns. 

34  ins. 

5  ft.  6  ins. 

1  1/2  ins.  x  3  ins. 


wood  and  iron. 


white  oak. 
32  ins. 
ins.  x  6  ins. 
30  ins. 
ins.  x  5^  ins. 
ins. 


ns. 
ins.  x  8  ins. 


Both  the  motor  and  the  trailer  trucks  have  been  designed  with  the  greatest  care  for  severe  service,  and 
their  details  are  the  outcome  of  years  of  practical  experience. 


CHAPTER    IX 

SIGNAL   SYSTEM 

EARLY  in  the  development  of  the  plans  for  the  subway  system  in  New  York  City,  it  was  foreseen 
that  the  efficiency  of  operation  of  a  road  with  so  heavy  a  traffic  as  is  being  provided  for  would 
depend  largely  upon  the  completeness  of  the  block  signaling  and  interlocking  systems  adopted  for 
spacing  and  directing  trains.  On  account  of  the  importance  of  this  consideration,  not  only  for  safety  of 
passengers,  but  also  for  conducting  operation  under  exacting  schedules,  it  was  decided  to  install  the  most 
complete  and  effective  signaling  system  procurable.  The  problem  involved  the  prime  consideration  of: 

Safety  and  reliability. 

Greatest  capacity  of  the  lines  consistent  with  the  above. 

Facility  of  operation  under  necessarily  restricted  yard  and  track  conditions. 

In  order  to  obtain  the  above  desiderata  it  was  decided  to  install  a  complete  automatic  block  signal 
system  for  the  high-speed  routes,  block  protection  for  all  obscure  points  on  the  low-speed  routes,  and  to 
operate  all  switches  both  for  line  movements  and  in  yards  by  power  from  central  points.  This  necessarily 
involved  the  interconnection  of  the  block  and  switch  movements  at  many  locations  and  made  the  adoption 
of  the  most  flexible  and  compact  appliances  essential. 

Of  the  various  signal  systems  in  use  it  was  found  that  the  one  promising  entirely  satisfactory  results 
was  the  electro-pneumatic  block  and  interlocking  system,  by  which  power  in  any  quantity  could  be  readily 
conducted  in  small  pipes  any  distance  and  utilized  in  compact  apparatus  in  the  most  restricted  spaces.  The 
movements  could  be  made  with  the  greatest  promptness  and  certainty  and  interconnected  for  the  most  com- 
plicated situations  for  safety.  Moreover,  all  essential  details  of  the  system  had  been  worked  out  in  years 
of  practical  operation  on  important  trunk  lines  of  railway,  so  that  its  reliability  and  efficiency  were  beyond 
question. 

The  application  of  such  a  system  to  the  New  York  subway  involved  an  elaboration  of  detail  not  before 
attempted  upon  a  railway  line  of  similar  length,  and  the  contract  for  its  installation  is  believed  to  be  the 
largest  single  order  ever  given  to  a  signal  manufacturing  company. 

In  the  application  of  an  automatic  block  system  to  an  electric  railway  where  the  rails  are  used  for  the 
return  circuit  of  the  propulsion  current,  it  is  necessary  to  modify  the  system  as  usually  applied  to  a  steam 
railway  and  introduce  a  track  circuit  control  that  will  not  be  injuriously  influenced  by  the  propulsion  current. 
This  had  been  successfully  accomplished  for  moderately  heavy  electric  railway  traffic  in  the  Boston  elevated 
installation,  which  was  the  first  electric  railway  to  adopt  a  complete  automatic  block  signal  system  with  track 
circuit  control. 

The  New  York  subway  operation,  however,  contemplated  traffic  of  unprecedented  density  and  conse- 
quent magnitude  of  the  electric  currents  employed,  and  experience  with  existing  track  circuit  control  systems 


PAGE  iS^INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


led  to  the  conclusion  that  some 
modification  in  apparatus  was 
essential  to  prevent  occasional 
traffic  delays. 

The  proposed  operation 
contemplates  a  possible  maxi- 
mum of  two  tracks  loaded  with 
local  trains  at  one  minute  inter- 
vals, and  two  tracks  with  eight 
car  express  trains  at  two  minute 
intervals,  the  latter  class  of 
trains  requiring  at  times  as 
much  as  2,000  horse  power 
for  each  train  in  motion.  It 
is  readily  seen,  then,  that  com- 
binations of  trains  in  motion 
may  at  certain  times  occur 
which  will  throw  enormous 
demands  for  power  upon  a 
given  section  of  the  road. 
The  electricity  conveying  this 
power  flows  back  through  the 
track  rails  to  the  power  station 
and  in  so  doing  is  subject  to 
a  "drop"  or  loss  in  the  rails 

FRONT    VIIW    OF    BLOCK    SIGNAL    POST,  SHOWING    LIGHTS,   INDICATORS    AND    TRACK    STOP  which   VaHCS   lt\   aiTlOUnt  aCCOrd- 

ing  to  the  power  demands.  This  causes  •  disturbances  in  the  signal-track  circuit  in  proportion  to  the 
amount  of  "drop,"  and  it  was  believed  that  under  the  extreme  condition  above  mentioned  the  ordinary  form 
of  track  circuit  might  prove  unreliable  and  cause  delay  to  traffic.  A  solution  of  the  difficulty  was  suggested, 
consisting  in  the  employment  of  a  current  in  the  signal  track  circuit  which  would  have  such  characteristic 
differences  from  that  used  to  propel  the  trains  as  would  operate  selectively  upon  an  apparatus  which  would  in 
turn  control  the  signal.  Alternating  current  supplied  this  want  on  account  of  its  inductive  properties,  and 
was  adopted,  after  a  demonstration  of  its  practicability  under  similar  conditions  elsewhere. 

After  a  decision  was  reached  as  to  the  system  to  be  employed,  the  arrangement  of  the  block  sections 
was  considered  from  the  standpoint  of  maximum  safety  and  maximum  traffic  capacity,  as  it  was  realized  that  the 
rapidly  increasing  traffic  of  Greater  New  York  would  almost  at  once  tax  the  capacity  of  the  line  to  its  utmost. 

The  usual  method  of  installing  automatic  block  signals  in  the  United  States  is  to  provide  home  and 
distant  signals  with  the  block  sections  extending  from  home  signal  to  home  signal ;  that  is,  the  block  sections 
end  at  the  home  signals  and  do  not  overlap  each  other.  This  is  also  the  arrangement  of  block  sections  where 
the  telegraph  block  or  controlled  manual  systems  are  in  use.  The  English  block  systems,  however,  all 


INTER   BOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  137 


THE       SUBWAY 


employ  overlaps.  Without  the  overlap,  a  train  in  passing  from  one  block  section  to  the  other  will  clear  the 
home  signals  for  the  section  in  the  rear,  as  soon  as  the  rear  of  the  train  has  passed  the  home  signal  of  the 
block  in  which  it  is  moving.  It  is  thus  possible  for  a  train  to  stop  within  the  block  and  within  a  few  feet  of 
this  home  signal.  If,  then,  a  following  train  should  for  any  reason  overrun  this  home  signal,  a  collision  would 
result.  With  the  overlap  system,  however,  a  train  may  stop  at  any  point  in  a  block  section  and  still  have 
the  home  signal  at  a  safe  stopping  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  train. 

Conservative  signaling  is  all  in  favor  of  the  overlap,  on  account  of  the  safety  factor,  in  case  the  signal  is 
accidentally  overrun.  Another  consideration  was  the  use  of  automatic  train  stops.  These  stops  are  placed 
at  the  home  signals,  and  it  is  thus  essential  that  a  stopping  distance  should  be  afforded  in  advance  of  the 
home  signal  to  provide  for  stopping  the  train  to  which  the  brake  had  been  applied  by  the  automatic  stop. 

Ordinarily,  the  arrangement  of  overlap  sections  increases  the  length  of  block  sections  by  the  length  of 
the  overlap,  and  as  the  length  of  the  section  fixed  the  minimum  spacing  of  trains,  it  was  imperative  to  make 
the  blocks  as  short  as  consistent  with  safety,  in  order  not  to  cut  down  the  carrying  capacity  of  the  railway. 
This    led    to   a   study   of  the 
special  problem   presented  by 
subway  signaling  and  a  devel- 
opment of  a  blocking  system 
upon  lines  which  it  is  believed 
are    distinctly    in    advance    of 
anything    heretofore    done    in 
this  direction. 

Block  section  lengths  are 
governed  by  speed  and  interval 
between  trains.  Overlap 
lengths  are  determined  by  the 
distance  in  which  a  train  can  be 
stopped  at  a  maximum  speed. 
Usually  the  block  section 
length  is  the  distance  between 
signals,  plus  the  overlap;  but 
where  maximum  traffic  capacity 
is  desired  the  block  section 
length  can  be  reduced  to  the 
length  of  two  overlaps,  and 
this  was  the  system  adopted 
for  the  Interborough.  The 
three  systems  of  blocking  trains, 
with  and  without  overlaps,  is 
shown  diagramatically  on  page 

I43>W^-''*' tWO  SUCCeSSlVe  traillS  RrAR  Vizw  OF  BLOCK  SIGNAL  POST,  SHOWING  TRANSFORMER  AND  INSTRUMENT  CASES  WITH  POORS  OPEN 


PAGE  138    I  N  T  E  R  B  O  R  O  U  G  H          RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


T  R  f 


KR     IN      LPKK.KT 


are  shown  at  the  minimum  distances 

apart    for    "clear"    running    for    an 

assumed  stopping  distance  of  800  feet. 

The  system  adopted  for  the  subway 

is  shown  in  line  "C,"  giving  the  least 

headway  of  the  three  methods. 

The  length  of  the  overlap  was 

given  very  careful  consideration  by  the 

Interborough    Rapid    Transit    Com- 

pany, who  instituted  a  series  of  tests 

of  braking  power  of  trains;  from  these 

and  others  made  by  the  Pennsylvania 

Railroad   Company,  curves    were  computed    so  as   to   determine   the    distance    in    which    trains    could    be 

stopped  at  various  rates  of  speed  on  a  level  track,  with  corrections  for  rising  and  falling  to  grades  up  to  2  per 

cent.     Speed  curves  were  then  plotted  for  the  trains  on  the  entire  line,  showing  at  each  point  the  maximum 

possible  speed,  with  the  gear  ratio  of  the  motors  adopted.    A  joint  consideration  of  the  speeds,  braking  efforts, 

and  profile  of  the  road  were  then  used  to  determine  at  each  and  every  point  on  the  line  the  minimum  allow- 

able distance  between  trains,  so  that  the  train  in  the  rear  could  be  stopped  by  the  automatic  application  of  the 

brakes  before  reaching  a  train  which  might  be  standing  at  a  signal  in  advance  ;  in  other  words,  the  length  of 

the  overlap  section  was  determined  by  the  local  conditions  at  each  point. 

In  order  to  provide  for  adverse  conditions  the  actual  braking  distances  was  increased  by  50  per  cent.;  for 

example,  the  braking  distance  of  a 
train  moving  3  5  miles  an  hour  is  465 
feet,  this  would  be  increased  50  per 
cent,  and  the  overlap  made  not  less 
than  697  feet.  With  this  length  of 
overlap  the  home  signals  could  be 
located  697  feet  apart,  and  the  block 
section  length  would  be  double  this 

°r  i394  feet-  The  avera§e  iength  °f 

overlaps,  as  laid  out,  is  about  800  feet, 
and  the  length  of  block  sections  double 
this,  or  i,  600  feet. 

The  protection  provided  by  this 
unique  arrangement  of  signals  is  illus- 
trated on  page  143.  Three  positions 
of  train  are  shown  : 

"A."  MINIMUM  distance 
between  trains:  The  first  train  has 


VIEW    UNDER    CAR,  SHOWING    TRIGGER    ON    TRUCK    IN    POSITION    TO    ENGAGE    WITH    TRACK    8TOF 


JQSt 


tllC    homC  signal,  tllC 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  J39 


T  H  R       S  U  B  \V  A  Y 


train  is  stopped  by  the  home  signal  in  the  rear;  if  this  train  had  failed  to  stop  at  this  point,  the  auto- 
matic stop  would  have  applied  the  air  brake  and  the  train  would  have  had  the  overlap  distance  in  which  to 
stop  before  it  could  reach  the  rear  of  the  train  in  advance;  therefore,  under  the  worst  conditions,  no  train  can 
get  closer  to  the  train  in  advance  than  the  length  of  the  overlap,  and  this  is  always  a  safe  stopping  distance. 

"B."  CAUTION  distance  between  train:  The  first  train  in  same  position  as  in  "A,"  the  second 
train  at  the  third  home  signal  in  the  rear;  this  signal  can  be  passed  under  caution,  and  this  distance  between 
trains  is  the  caution  distance,  and  is  always  equal  to  the  length  of  the  block  section,  or  two  overlaps. 

"C."  CLEAR  distance  between  trains:  First  train  in  same  position  as  in  "A,"  second  train  at  the  fourth 
home  signal  in  the  rear;  at  this  point  both  the  home  and  distant  signals  are  clear,  and  the  distance  between  the 
trains  is  now  the  clear  running  distance;  that  is,  when  the  trains  are  one  block  section  plus  an  overlap  apart 
they  can  move  under  clear  signal,  and  this  distance  is  used  in  determining  the  running  schedule.  It  will  be 
noted  in  "C"  that  the  first  train  has  the  following  protection:  Home  signals  i  and  2  in  stop  position,  together 
with  the  automatic  stop  at  signal  2  in  position  to  stop  a  train,  distant  signal  i,  2,  and  3  all  at  caution,  or,  in 
other  words,  a  train  that  has  stopped  is  always  protected  by  two  home  signals  in  its  rear,  and  by  three  caution 
signals,  in  addition  to  this  an  automatic  stop  placed  at  a  safe  stopping  distance  in  the  rear  of  the  train. 


PAGE   140    INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY         , 


T          S  CO 


T          I          O         N 


M          E          N          T 


Description 
of  Block 
Signaling 
System 


SPECIAL    INTERLOCKING    SIGNAL    CABIN    SOUTH    OF    BROOKLYN    BRIDGE    STATION 


The  block  signaling  system  as  installed  consists  of  automatic  overlapping  system  above  described 
applied  to  the  two  express  tracks  between  City  Hall  and  96th  Street,  a  distance  of  six  and  one-half  miles,  or 
thirteen  miles  of  track;  and  to  the  third  track  between  96th  and  Hfth  Streets  on  the  West  Side  branch,  a 
distance  of  two  and  one-half  miles.  This  third  track  is  placed  between  the  two  local  tracks,  and  will  be  used 
for  express  traffic  in  both  directions,  trains  moving  toward  the  City  Hall  in  the  morning  and  in  the  opposite 
direction  at  night;  also  the  two  tracks  from  i4fth  Street  to  Dyckman  Street,  a  distance  of  two  and  one-half 
miles,  or  five  miles  of  track.  The  total  length  of  track  protected  by  signals  is  twenty-four  and  one-half 
miles. 

The  small  amount  of  available  space  in  the -subway  made  it  necessary  to  design  a  special  form  of  the 
signal  itself.  Clearances  would  not  permit  of  a  "position"  signal  indication,  and,  further,  a  position  signal 
purely  was  not  suitable  for  the  lighting  conditions  of  the  subway.  A  color  signal  was  therefore  adopted 
conforming  to  the  adopted  rules  of  the  American  Railway  Association.  It  consists  of  an  iron  case  fitted 
with  two  white  lenses,  the  upper  being  the  home  signal  and  the  lower  the  distant.  Suitable  colored  glasses 
are  mounted  in  slides  which  are  operated  by  pneumatic  cylinders  placed  in  the  base  of  the  case.  Home  and 
dwarf  signals  show  a  red  light  for  the  danger  or  "stop"  indication.  Distant  signals  show  a  yellow  light  for 
the  "caution"  indication.  All  signals  show  a  green  light  for  the  "proceed"  or  clear  position.  Signals  in 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


the  subway  are  constantly  lighted  by  two  electric  lights  placed  back  of  each  white  lens,  so  that  the  lighting 
will  be  at  all  times  reliable. 

On  the  elevated  structure,  semaphore  signals  of  the  usual  type  are  used.  The  signal  lighting  is  supplied 
by  a  special  alternating  current  circuit  independent  of  the  power  and  general  lighting  circuits. 

A  train  stop  or  automatic  stop  of  the  Kinsman  system  is  used  at  all  block  signals,  and  at  many  inter- 
locking signals.  This  is  a  device  for  automatically  applying  the  air  brakes  to  the  train  if  it  should  pass  a 
signal  in  the  stop  position.  This  is  an  additional  safeguard  only  to  be  brought  into  action  when  the  danger 
indication  has  for  any  reason  been  disregarded,  and  insures  the  maintenance  of  the  minimum  distance 
between  trains  as  provided  by  the  overlaps  established. 

Great  care  has  been  given  to  the  design,  construction,  and  installation  of  the  signal  apparatus,  so  as  to 
insure  reliability  of  operation  under  the  most  adverse  conditions,  and  to  provide  for  accessibility  to  all  the 
parts  for  convenience  in  maintenance.  The  system  for  furnishing  power  to  operate  and  control  the  signals 
consists  of  the  following: 

Two  foo-volt  alternating  current  feed  mains  run  the  entire  length  of  the  signal  system.  These  mains  are  fed 
by  seven  direct-current  motor-driven  generators  operated  in  multiple  located  in  the  various  sub-power  stations. 
Any  four  of  these  machines  are  sufficient  to  supply  the  necessary  current  for  operating  the  system.  Across  these 
alternating  mains  are  connected  the  primary  coils  of  track  transformers  located  at  each  signal,  the  secondaries  of 
which  supply  current  of  about  10  volts  to  the  rails  of  the  track  sections.  Across  the  rails  at  the  opposite  end 
of  the  section  is  connected  the  track  relay,  the  moving  element  of  which  operates  a  contact.  This  contact  controls 
a  local  direct-current  circuit  operating,  by  compressed  air,  the  signal  and  automatic  train  stop. 

Direct  current  is  furnished  by  two  mains  extending  the  length  of  the  system,  which  are  fed  by  eight 
sets  of  i6-volt  storage  batteries  in  duplicate.     These  batteries  are  located  in  the  subway  at  the  various  inter- 
locking towers,  and  are   charged   by 
motor   generators,   one   of  which   is 
placed  at  each  set  of  batteries.     These 
motor  generators  are  driven  by  direct 
current  from  the  third  rail  and  deliver 
direct  current  of  25  volts. 

The  compressed  air  is  supplied 
by  six  air  compressors,  one  located  at 
each  of  the  following  sub-stations : 
Nos.  n,  12,  13,  14,  16,  and  17. 
Three  of  these  are  reserve  com- 
pressors. They  are  motor-driven 
by  direct-current  motors,  taking  cur- 
rent from  the  direct-current  buss  bars 
at  sub-stations  at  from  400  to  700 
volts.  The  capacity  of  each  com- 
pressor is  230  cubic  feet. 

The  motor-driven  air  compres- 


MAIN   LINE,   PIPING  AND  WIRING  FOR   BLOCK  AND  INTER- 
LOCKING   SYSTEM,    SHOWING    JUNCTION    BOX    ON    COLUMN 


PAGE  142    INTERBO  ROUGH          RAPID          TRANSIT 

THE  SUB^A^  ITS  CONSTRUCTION  AN!)  EQUIPMENT 

sors  are  controlled  by  a  governor  which  responds  to  a  variation  of  air  pressure  of  five  pounds  or  less.  When 
the  pressure  has  reached  a  predetermined  point  the  machine  is  stopped  and  the  supply  of  cooling  v  UKT  shut 
off.  When  the  pressure  has  fallen  a  given  amount,  the  machine  is  started  light,  and  when  at  full  speed  the 
load  is  thrown  on  and  the  cooling  water  circulation  reestablished.  Oiling  of  cylinders  and  bearings  is  auto- 
matic, being  supplied  only  while  the  machines  are  running. 

Two  novel  safety  devices  having  to  do  especially  with  the  signaling  may  be  here  described.  The  first 
is  an  emergency  train  stop.  It  is  designed  to  place  in  the  hands  of  station  attendants,  or  others,  the 
emergency  control  of  signals.  The  protection  afforded  is  similar  in  principle  to  the  emergency  brake  handle 
found  in  all  passenger  cars,  but  operates  to  warn  all  trains  of  an  extraneous  danger  condition.  It  has  been 
shown  in  electric  railroading  that  an  accident  to  apparatus,  perhaps  of  slight  moment,  may  cause  an 
unreasoning  panic,  on  account  of  which  passengers  may  wander  on  adjoining  tracks  in  face  of  approaching 
trains.  To  provide  as  perfectly  as  practicable  for  such  conditions,  it  has  been  arranged  to  loop  the  control 
of  signals  into  an  emergency  box  set  in  a  conspicuous  position  in  each  station  platform.  The  pushing  of  a 
button  on  this  box,  similar  to  that  of  the  fire-alarm  signal,  will  set  all  signals  immediately  adjacent  to  stations 
in  the  face  of  trains  approaching,  so  that  all  traffic  may  be  stopped  until  the  danger  condition  is  removed. 

The  second  safety  appliance  is  the  "section  break"  protection.  This  consists  of  a  special  emergency 
signal  placed  in  advance  of  each  separate  section  of  the  third  rail ;  that  is,  at  points  where  trains  move  from 
a  section  fed  by  one  sub-station  to  that  fed  by  another.  Under  such  conditions  the  contact  shoes  of  the 
train  temporarily  span  the  break  in  the  third  rail.  In  case  of  a  serious  overload  or  ground  on  one  section, 
the  train-wiring  would  momentarily  act  as  a  feeder  for  the  section,  and  thus  possibly  blow  the  train  fuses  and 
cause  delay.  In  order,  therefore,  to  prevent  trains  passing  into  a  dangerously  overloaded  section,  an  overload 
relay  has  been  installed  at  each  section  break  to  set  a  "stop"  signal  in  the  face  of  an  approaching  train,  which 
holds  the  train  until  the  abnormal  condition  is  removed. 


THREE  METHODS  OF  BLOCK  SIGNALING 


Block  Section  i. 


'A"  Block  System,  Without  Overlaps. 


'          H»l  _S«r  III!)'        • 


O.erl.p       •] 

3200' 


"B"  Block  System,  With  Orel-laps. 
The  Block  Section  Equal  to  Tno  Orel-laps  and  a  Block  Section. 


(lK-1-l.tJ, 

800'    T 


"C"  Block  System,  With  Overlaps. 
The  Block  Section  Equal  to  Tno  Overlaps.  "A"  "B"  "C" 

Distance  Between  Signals     1600'    1200'     800' 
"  "         Trains      3200'    3200'   2100' 

Headway  at  25  M.  P.  H.        96  sec.     IHi 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE   *43 


T  H  1 

SUB  VV  A  V          ,      i 

S                          C          O          N           S          T           K 

r          <            T           I          0           N                          AN 

I>                          E          Q          U          I           P           M 

E         N         T 

*> 

1 

•ML 

2 

•M 

Stop  Dowu                                         ^  ^1 

3 

Slop  I'p                                               *•   , 

4 

MH 

» 

<        I  s(   Train         [ 

.<       2  ncl     Train        I              -«  

urn  Wstancc  Train  Stonpc 

r 

J      -, 

• 

Caution  Distance.  2  ml  Train  ui 


der  Caution 


Signal  at  Danger 


Signal  at  Caution 
3 


Signal  at  Clear 

4 


<**, 

•M_ 

•M 

>H 

**~ 

Train  Running  with  Clear  Signal 

I  I 

DIAGRAM    OF 

OVERLAPPING    BLOCK   SIGNAL    SYSTEM 
ILLUSTRATING   POSSIBLE   POSITIONS    OF    TRAINS 
RUNNING    UNDER    SAME 

The  to-and-fro  movement  of  a  dense  traffic  on  a  four-track  railway  requires  a  large  amount  of  switching,  Interlocking 
especially  when  each  movement  is  complicated  by  junctions  of  two  or  more  lines.      Practically  every  problem   System 
of  trunk  line  train  movement,  including  two,  three,  and  four-track  operation,  had  to  be  provided  for  in  the 
switching  plants  of  the  subway.      Further,  the   problem  was   complicated   by  the   restricted   clearances   and 
vision  attendant  upon  tunnel  construction.      It  was  estimated  that  the  utmost  flexibility  of  operation  should 
be  provided  for,  and  also  that  every  movement  be  certain,  quick,  and  safe. 

All  of  the  above,  which  are  referred  to  in  the  briefest  terms  only,  demanded  that  all  switching 
movements  should  be  made  through  the  medium  of  power-operated  interlocking  plants.  These  plants  in 
the  subway  portions  of  the  line  are  in  all  cases  electro-pneumatic,  while  in  the  elevated  portions  of  the  line 
mechanical  interlocking  has  been,  in  some  cases,  provided. 

A  list  of  the  separate  plants  installed  will  be  interesting,  and  is  given  below : 

Interlocking          Working 
Location.  Machines.  Levers. 

MAIN    LINE. 

City  Hall, j  32 

Spring  Street, 2  10 

1 4th  Street, 2  16 

1 8th  Street, \  4 

42d  Street, 2  i  c 

y2d  Street, " 2  15 

96th  Street, 2  19 

WEST   SIDE    BRANCH. 

looth  Street, .  T  6 

icjd  Street, i  5 

iioth  Street, 2  12 

1 1 6th  Street, 2  12 


PAGE    I44INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Interlocking  Working 

Machines  Lever, 

WEST  SIDE   BRANCH  —  Continued. 

Manhattan  Viaduct,         i  12 

ijyth  Street, 2  17 

1 45th  Street, - 2  19 

Dyckman  Street, i  12 

2 1 6th  Street, i  14 

EAST   SIDE    BRANCH. 

1 3  5th  Street, 2  6 

Lenox  Junction, i  7 

1 45th  Street, i  9 

Lenox  Avenue  Yard, i  35 

Third  and  Westchester  Avenue  Junction, i  13 

St.  Anna  Avenue, i  24 

Freeman  Street, i  12 

1 76th  Street, 2  66 


Total, 37  393 

The  total  number  of  signals,  both  block  and  interlocking,  is  as  follows  : 

Home  signals,        354 

Dwarf  signals,        1 50 

Distant  signals, 187 

Total, 691 

Total  number  of  switches, 224 

It  will  be  noted  that  in  the  case  of  the  City  Hall  Station  three  separate  plants  are  required,  all  of  con- 
siderable size,  and  intended  for  constant  use  for  a  multiplicity  of  movements.  It  is,  perhaps,  unnecessary  to 
state  that  all  the  mechanism  of  these  important  interlocking  plants  is  of  the  most  substantial  character  and 
provided  with  all  the  necessary  safety  appliances  and  means  for  rapidly  setting  up  the  various  combina- 
tions. The  interlocking  machines  are  housed  in  steel  concrete  "towers,"  so  that  the  operators  may  be  prop- 
erly protected  and  isolated  in  the  performance  of  their  duties. 


CHAPTER   X 

SUBWAY    DRAINAGE 

,  employment  of  water-proofing  to  the  exterior  surfaces  of  the  masonry  shell  of  the  tunnel, 
which  is  applied  to  the  masonry,  almost  without  a  break  along  the  entire  subway  construction,  has 
made  it  unnecessary  to  provide  an  extensive  system  of  drains,  or  sump  pits,  of  any  magnitude,  for 
the  collection  and  removal  of  water  from  the  interior  of  the  tunnel. 

On  the  other  hand,  however,  at  each  depression  or  point  where  water  could  collect  from  any  cause,  such 
as  by  leakage  through  a  cable  manhole  cover  or  by  the  breaking  of  an  adjacent  water  pipe,  or  the  like,  a  sump 
pit  or  drain  has  been  provided  for  carrying  the  water  away  from  the  interior  of  the  tunnel. 

For  all  locations,  where  such  drains,  or  sump  pits,  are  located  above  the  line  of  the  adjacent  sewer,  the 
carrying  of  the  water  away  has  been  easy  to  accomplish  by  employing  a  drain  pipe  in  connection  with  suitable 
traps  and  valves. 

In  other  cases,  however,  where  it  is  necessary  to  elevate  the  water,  the  problem  has  been  of  a  different 
character.  In  such  cases,  where  possible,  at  each  depression  where  water  is  liable  to  collect,  a  well,  or  sump 
pit,  has  been  constructed  just  outside  the  shell  of  the  tunnel.  The  bottom  of  the  well  has  been  placed  lower 
than  the  floor  of  the  tunnel,  so  that  the  water  can  flow  into  the  well  through  a  drain  connecting  to  the  tunnel. 

Each  well  is  then  provided  with  a  pumping  outfit;  but  in  the  case  of  these  wells  and  in  other  locations 
where  it  is  necessary  to  maintain  pumping  devices,  it  has  not  been  possible  to  employ  a  uniform  design  of 
pumping  equipment,  as  the  various  locations  offer  different  conditions,  each  employing  apparatus  best  suited 
to  the  requirements. 

In  no  case,  except  two,  is  an  electric  pump  employed,  as  the  employment  of  compressed  air  was 
considered  more  reliable. 

The  several  depressions  at  which  it  is  necessary  to  maintain  a  pumping  plant  are  enumerated  as 
follows : 

No.  i — Sump  at  the  lowest  point  on  City  Hall  Loop. 

No.  a  —  Sump  at  intersection  of  Elm  and  White  Streets. 

No.  3  —  Sump  at  jSth  Street  in  the  Murray  Hill  Tunnel. 

No.  4 — Sump  at  intersection  of  46th  Street  and  Broadway. 

No.  5  —  Sump  at  intersection  of  n6th  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue. 

No.  6  —  Sump  at  intersection  of  i42d  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue. 

No.  7  —  Sump  at  intersection  of  Hyth  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue. 

No.  8  —  Sump  at  about  i44th  Street  in  Harlem  River  approach. 

No.  9  —  Sump  at  the  center  of  the  Harlem  River  Tunnel. 


PAGE   I46INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


No.  10 — Sump  at  intersection  of  Gerard  Avenue  and  1491!!  Street. 

In  addition  to  the  above  mentioned  sumps,  where  pumping  plants  are  maintained,  it  is  necessary  to 
maintain  pumping  plants  at  the  following  points: 

Location  No.  i — At  the  cable  tunnel  constructed  under  the  Subway  at  2jd  Street  and  Fourth  Avenue. 

Location  No.  2 —  At  the  sub-subway  at  42d  Street  and  Broadway. 

Location  No.  3  —  At  the  portal  of  the  Lenox  Avenue  extension  at  I48th  Street. 

Location  No.  4 — At  the  southerly  end  of  the  Harlem  River  tube. 

Location  No.  5  —  At  the  northerly  end  of  the  Harlem  River  tube. 

Location  No.  6  —  At  the  portal  at  Bergen  Avenue  and  1491)1  Street. 

In  the  case  of  the  No.  i  sump  a  direct-connected  electric  triple-plunger  pump  is  employed,  situated  in 
a  pump  room  about  40  feet  distant  from  the  sump  pit.  In  the  case  of  Nos.  2,  4,  and  7  sumps,  automatic 
air  lifts  are  employed.  This  apparatus  is  placed  in  those  sump  wells  which  are  not  easily  accessible,  and  the 
air  lift  was  selected  for  the  reason  that  no  moving  parts  are  conveyed  in  the  air-lift  construction  other  than 
the  movable  ball  float  and  valve  which  control  the  device.  The  air  lift  consists  of  concentric  piping  extend- 
ing several  feet  into  the  ground  below  the  bottom  of  the  well,  and  the  water  is  elevated  by  the  air  producing 
a  rising  column  of  water  of  less  specific  weight  than  the  descending  column  of  water  which  is  in  the  pipe 
extending  below  the  bottom  of  the  sump  well. 

In  the  case  of  Nos.  3  and  5  sumps,  and  for  Location  No.  i,  automatic  air-operated  ejectors  have 
been  employed,  for  the  reason  that  the  conditions  did  not  warrant  the  employment  of  air  lifts  or  electric  or 
air-operated  pumps. 

In  the  case  of  Nos.  6,  8,  9,  and  10  sumps  and  for  Locations  Nos.  2,  4,  and  5,  air-operated  reciprocating 
pumps  will  be  employed.  These  pumps  will  be  placed  in  readily  accessible  locations,  where  air  lifts  could 
not  be  used,  and  this  type  of  pump  was  selected  as  being  the  most  reliable  device  to  employ. 

In  the  case  of  Location  No.  3,  where  provision  has  to  be  made  to  prevent  a  large  amount  of  yard 
drainage,  during  a  storm,  from  entering  the  tunnel  where  it  descends  from  the  portal,  it  was  considered  best 
to  employ  large  submerged  centrifugal  pumps,  operated  by  reciprocating  air  engines.  Also  for  the  portal,  at 
Location  No.  6,  similar  centrifugal  pumps  will  be  employed,  but  as  compressed  air  is  not  available  at  this 
point,  these  pumps  will  be  operated  by  electric  motors. 

The  air  supply  to  the  air-operating  pumping  devices  will  be  independent  from  the  compressed  air  line 
which  supplies  air  to  the  switch  and  signal  system,  but  break-down  connections  will  be  made  between  the 
two  systems,  so  that  either  system  can  help  the  other  out  in  case  of  emergency. 

A  special  air-compressor  plant  is  located  at  the  1 481)1  Street  repair  shop,  and  another  plant  within  the 
subway  at  41  st  Street,  for  supplying  air  to  the  pumps,  within  the  immediate  locality  of  each  compressor 
plant.  For  the  more  remote  pumps,  air  will  be  supplied  by  smaller  air  compressors  located  within  passenger 
stations.  In  one  case,  for  the  No.  2  sump,  air  will  be  taken  from  the  switch  and  signal  air-compressor 
plant  located  at  the  No.  1 1  sub-station. 


CHAPTER    XI 

REPAIR   AND    INSPECTION    SHED 

WHILE  popularly  and  not  inaccurately  known  as  the  "Subway  System,"  the  lines  of  the  Inter- 
borough  Company  comprise  also  a  large  amount  of  trackage  in  the  open  air,  and  hence  the  rolling 
stock  which  has  already  been  described  is  devised  with  the  view  to  satisfying  all  the  peculiar  and 
special  conditions  thus  involved.     A  necessary  corollary  is  the  requirement  of  adequate  inspection  and  repair 
shops,  so  that  all  the  rolling  stock  may  at  all  times  be  in  the  highest  state  of  efficiency;  and  in  this  respect 
the  provision  made  by  the  company  has  been  lavish  and  liberal  to  a  degree. 

The  repair  and  inspection  shop  of  the  Interborough  Rapid  Transit  Company  adjoins  the  car  yards  of 
the  company  and  occupies  the  entire  block  between  Seventh  Avenue  on  the  west,  Lenox  Avenue  and  the 
Harlem  River  on  the  east,  i48th  Street  on  the  south,  and  i49th  Street  on  the  north.  The  electric  subway 
trains  will  enter  the  shops  and  car  yard  by  means  of  the  Lenox  Avenue  extension,  which  runs  directly 
north  from  the  junction  at  i-fid  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue  of  the  East  Side  main  line.  The  branch 
leaves  the  main  line  at  1426.  Street,  gradually  approaches  the  surface,  and  emerges  at  about  i^Jth 
Street. 

The  inspection  shed  is  at  the  southern  end  of  the  property  and  occupies  an  area  of  approximately  336  General 
feet  by  240  feet.  It  is  divided  into  three  bays,  of  which  the  north  bay  is  equipped  with  four  tracks  running  Arrang 
its  entire  length,  and  the  middle  bay  with  five  tracks.  The  south  bay  contains  the  machine-tool  equipment, 
and  consists  of  eighteen  electrically  driven  machines,  locker  and  wash  rooms,  heating  boilers,  etc.,  and  has 
only  one  track  extending  through  it. 

The  construction  of  the  inspection  shops  is  that  which  is  ordinarily  known  as  "reinforced  concrete,"  (Construction 
and  no  wood  is  employed  in  the  walls  or  roof.  The  building  is  a  steel  structure  made  up  of  four  rows  of 
center  columns,  which  consist  of  twenty-one  bays  of  16  feet  each,  supporting  the  roof  trusses.  The  founda- 
tions for  these  center  columns  are  concrete  piers  mounted  on  piles.  After  the  erection  of  the  steel  skeleton, 
the  sides  of  the  building  and  the  interior  walls  are  constructed  by  the  use  of  ^-inch  furring  channels, 
located  16  inches  apart,  on  which  are  fastened  a  series  of  expanded  metal  laths.  The  concrete  is  then 
applied  to  these  laths  in  six  coats,  three  on  each  side,  and  termed  respectively  the  scratch  coat,  the  rough 
coat,  and  the  fining  coat.  In  the  later,  the  concrete  is  made  with  white  sand,  to  give  a  finished  appearance  to 
the  building. 

The  roof  is  composed  of  concrete  slabs,  reinforced  with  expanded  metal  laths  and  finished  with  cement 
and  mortar.  It  is  then  water-proofed  with  vulcanite  water-proofing  and  gravel. 

In  this  connection  it  might  be  said  that,  although  this  system  of  construction  has  been  employed  before, 
the  building  under  consideration  is  the  largest  example  of  this  kind  of  work  yet  done  in  the  neighborhood  of 


PAGE  I48JNTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


Capacity  and 
Pit  Room 


Trolley 
Connection 


The 

Telpherage 

System 


Heating  and 
Lighting 


New  York  City.  It  was  adopted  instead  of  corrugated  iron,  as  it  is  much  more  substantial,  and  it  was  con- 
sidered preferable  to  brick,  as  the  later  would  have  required  much  more  extensive  foundations. 

The  doors  at  each  of  the  bays  of  the  building  are  of  rolling  steel  shutter  type,  and  are  composed  of 
rolled-steel  strips  which  interloop  with  each  other,  so  that  while  the  entire  door  is  of  steel,  it  can  easily  be 
raised  and  lowered. 

All  of  the  tracks  in  the  north  and  middle  bays  are  supplied  with  pits  for  inspecting  purposes,  and  as 
each  track  has  a  length  sufficient  to  hold  six  cars,  the  capacity  of  these  two  bays  is  fifty-four  cars. 

The  inspection  pits  are  heated  by  steam  and  lighted  by  electric  light,  for  which  latter  purpose  frequent 
sockets  are  provided,  and  are  also  equipped  with  gas  pipes,  so  that  gas  torches  can  be  used  instead  of 
gasoline. 

As  usual  in  shops  of  this  kind,  the  third  rail  is  not  carried  into  the  shops,  but  the  cars  will  be  moved 
about  by  means  of  a  special  trolley.  In  the  middle  bay  this  trolley  consists  of  a  four-wheeled  light-frame 
carriage,  which  will  run  on  a  conductor  located  in  the  pit.  The  carriage  has  attached  to  it  a  flexible  wire 
which  can  be  connected  to  the  shoe-hanger  of  the  truck  or  to  the  end  plug  of  the  car,  so  that  the  cars  can 
be  moved  around  in  the  shops  by  means  of  their  own  motors.  In  the  north  bay,  where  the  pits  are  very 
shallow,  the  conductor  is  carried  overhead  and  consists  of  an  8-pound  T-rail  supported  from  the  roof  girders. 

The  middle  bay  is  provided  with  a  fo-ton  electric  crane,  which  spans  all  of  the  tracks  in  this  shop  and 
is  so  arranged  that  it  can  serve  any  one  of  the  thirty  cars  on  the  five  tracks,  and  can  deliver  the  trucks,  wheels, 
motors,  and  other  repair  parts  at  either  end  of  the  shops,  where  they  can  be  transferred  to  the  telpherage 
hoist. 

One  of  the  most  interesting  features  of  the  shops  is  the  electric  telpherage  system.  This  system  runs 
the  entire  length  of  the  north  and  south  bays  crossing  the  middle  bay  or  erection  shop  at  each  end,  so  that 
the  telpherage  hoist  can  pick  up  in  the  main  room  any  wheels,  trucks,  or  other  apparatus  which  may  be 
required,  and  can  take  them  either  into  the  north  bay  for  painting,  or  into  the  south  bay  or  machine  shop  tor 
machine-tool  work.  The  telpherage  system  extends  across  the  transfer  table  pit  at  the  west  end  of  the  shops 
and  into  the  storehouse  and  blacksmith  shop  at  the  Seventh  Avenue  end  of  the  grounds. 

The  traveling  telpherage  hoist  has  a  capacity  of  6,000  pounds.  The  girders  upon  which  it  runs  consist 
of  12-inch  I-beams,  which  are  hung  from  the  roof  trusses.  The  car  has  a  weight  of  one  ton  and  is 
supported  by  and  runs  on  the  I-beam  girders  by  means  of  four  9-inch  diameter  wheels,  one  on  each  side. 
The  hoist  is  equip'ped  with  two  motors.  The  driving  motor  of  two  horse-power  is  geared  by  double 
reduction  gearing  to  the  driving  wheels  at  one  end  of  the  hoist.  The  hoist  motor  is  of  eight  horse  power,  and 
is  connected  by  worm  gearing  and  then  by  triple  reduction  gearing  to  the  hoist  drum.  The  motors  are 
controlled  by  rheostatic  controllers,  one  for  each  motor.  The  hoist  motor  is  also  fitted  with  an  electric  brake 
by  which,  when  the  power  is  cut  ofF;  a  band  brake  is  applied  to  the  hoisting  drum.  There  is  also  an 
automatic  cut-out,  consisting  of  a  lever  operated  by  a  nut,  which  travels  on  the  threaded  extension  of  the 
hoisting  drum  shaft,  and  by  which  the  current  on  the  motor  is  cut  off  and  the  brake  applied  if  the  chain 
hook  is  wound  up  too  close  to  the  hoist. 

The  buildings  are  heated  throughout  with  steam,  with  vacuum  system  of  return.  The  steam  is  supplied 
by  two  100  horse  power  return  tubular  boilers,  located  at  the  southeastern  corner  of  the  building  and 
provided  with  a  28-inch  stack  60  feet  high.  The  heat  is  distributed  at  15  pounds  pressure  throughout  the 


INTERBOROUGH 


RAPID 


TRANSIT    PAGE  '49 


THE       SUBWAY 


O        N        S 


INTERIOR     VILW    OF     I4&TH    STREET    REPAIR    SHOPS 


three  bays  by  means  of  coil  radiators,  which  are  placed  vertically  against  the  side  walls  of  the  shop  and 
storeroom.  In  addition,  heating  pipes  are  carried  through  the  pits  as  already  described.  The  shops  are  well 
lighted  by  large  windows  and  skylights,  and  at  night  by  enclosed  arc  lights. 

The  shops  and  yards  are  equipped  throughout  with  fire  hydrants  and  fire  plugs,  hose  and  fire 
extinguishers.  The  water  supply  taps  the  city  main  at  the  corner  of  Fifth  Avenue  and  i48th  Street,  and 
pipes  are  carried  along  the  side  of  the  north  and  south  shops,  with  three  reel  connections  on  each 
line.  A  fire  line  is  also  carried  through  the  yards,  where  there  are  four  hydrants,  also  into  the  general 
storeroom. 

The  general  storeroom,  oil  room,  and  blacksmith  shop  occupy  a  building  199  feet  by  22  feet  in  the 
southwestern  corner  of  the  property.  This  building  is  of  the  same  general  construction  as  that  of  the  inspec- 
tion shops.  The  general  storeroom,  which  is  that  fronting  on  I48th  Street,  is  below  the  street  grade,  so  that 
supplies  can  be  loaded  directly  onto  the  telpherage  hoist  at  the  time  of  their  receipt,  and  can  be  carried  to  any 
part  of  the  works,  or  transferred  to  the  proper  compartments  in  the  storeroom.  Adjoining  the  general  room 
is  the  oil  and  paint  storeroom,  which  is  separated  from  the  rest  of  the  building  by  fire  walls.  This  room  is 
fitted  with  a  set  of  eight  tanks,  each  with  a  capacity  of  200  gallons.  As  the  barrels  filled  with  oil  and  other 
combustible  material  are  brought  into  this  room  by  the  telpherage  system  they  are  deposited  on  elevated 
platforms,  from  which  their  contents  can  be  tapped  directly  into  the  tank. 

The  final  division  of  the  west  shops  is  that  in  the  northeastern  corner,  which  is  devoted  to  a  blacksmith 


Fire 
Protection 


General 
Store  Room 


Blacksmith 
Shop 


PAGE    i5°INTERBOROUGH  RAPID          TRANSIT 


THE       SUBWAY 


CON 


shop.      This   shop    contains    six  down-draught   forges   and    one   drop-hammer,   and    is    also    served  by   the 

telpherage  system. 

Transfer  Connecting  the  main  shops  with  the  storeroom  and  blacksmith  or  west  shops  is  a  rotary  transfer  table 

Table  4-6   feet    l&  ir^10  mches   long  and  with  a  run   of  219   feet.      The   transfer  table  is  driven   by  a  large  electric 

motor  the  current  being  supplied  through  a  conductor  rail  and  sliding  contact  shoe.     The  transfer  table  runs 

on  two  tracks  and  is  mounted  on  j3-inch  standard  car  wheels. 
Employees  The  south  side  of  the  shop  is  fitted  with  offices  for  the  Master  Mechanic  and  his  department. 

The  working  force  will  comprise  about  250  in  the  shops,  and  their  lockers,  lavatories,  etc.,  are  located 

in  the  south  bay. 


CHAPTER    XII 

SUB-CONTRACTORS 

The  scope  of  this  book  does  not  permit  an  enumeration  of  all  the  sub-contractors  who  have  done 
work  on  the  Rapid  Transit  Railroad.  The  following  list,  however,  includes  the  sub-contractors  for  all  the 
more  important  parts  of  the  construction  and  equipment  of  the  road. 


General  Construction,  Sub-section  Contracts,  Track  and  Track  Material, 
Station  Finish,  and  Miscellaneous  Contracts 

S.   L.   F.   DEYO, Chief  Engineer. 

Sub-sections 

For  construction  purposes  the  road  was  divided  into  sub-sections,  and  sub-contracts  were  let  which 
included  excavation,  construction  and  re-construction  of  sub-surface  structures,  support  of  surface  railway 
tracks  and  abutting  buildings,  erection  of  steel  (underground  and  viaduct),  masonry  work  and  tunnel  work 
under  the  rivers  ;  also  the  plastering  and  painting  of  the  inside  of  tunnel  walls  and  restoration  of  street  surface. 


Bradley,  William,  Sub-sections  6  A  and  6  B,  6oth 
Street  to  icxith  Street. 

Degnon- McLean  Contracting  Company  (Degnon 
Contracting  Company),  Sub-section  i,  2  and 
5 A,  Post-office  to  Great  Jones  Street  and  4ist 
Street  and  Park  Avenue  to  47th  Street  and 
Broadway. 

Farrell,  E.  J.,  Sub-section,  Lenox  Avenue  Extension, 
i4id  Street  to  i48th  Street. 

Farrell  &  Hopper  (Farrell,  Hopper  &  Company), 
Sub-sections  7  and  8,  iojd  Street  and  Broad- 
way to  ijfth  Street  and  Lenox  Avenue. 

Holbrook,  Cabot  &  Daly  (Holbrook,  Cabot  &  Daly 
Contracting  Company),  Sub-section  3,  Great 
Jones  Street  to  jjd  Street. 

McCabe  &  Brother,  L.  B.  (R.  C.  Hunt,  Superin- 
tendent), Sub-sections  13  and  14,  i33d  Street 
to  Hillside  Avenue. 

McMullen  &  McBean,  Sub-section  gA,  iJ5th 
Street  and  Lenox  Avenue  to  Gerard  Avenue 
and  1 49th  Street. 

Naughton  &  Company  (Naughton  Company),  Sub- 
section 58,  47th  Street  to  6oth  Street. 


Roberts,  E.  P.,  Sub-sections  10,12, and  15,  Founda- 
tions (Viaducts),  Brook  Avenue  to  Bronx  Park, 
isfth  Street  to  i33d  Street,  and  Hillside 
Avenue  to  Bailey  Avenue. 

Rodgers,  John  C.,  Sub-section  96,  Gerard  Avenue 
to  Brook  Avenue. 

Shaler,  Ira  A.  (Estate  of  Ira  A.  Shaler),  Sub-section 
4,  33d  Street  to  4ist  Street. 

Shields,  John,  Sub-section  T  i,  iO4th  Street  to  I2£th 
Street. 

Terry  &  Tench  Construction  Company  (Terry  & 
Tench  Company),  Sub-sections  10,  12,  and  15, 
Steel  Erection  (Viaducts),  Brook  Avenue  to 
Bronx  Park,  i25th  Street  to  i33d  Street,  and 
Hillside  Avenue  to  Bailey  Avenue. 

BROOKLYN   EXTENSION. 

Cranford  &  McNamee,  Sub-section  3,  Clinton  Street 
to  Flatbush  and  Atlantic  Avenues,  Brooklyn. 

Degnon-McLean  Contracting  Company  (Degnon 
Contracting  Company),  Sub-section  i,  Park 
Row  to  Bridge  Street,  Manhattan. 


SUB-CONTRACTORS 


CONTINUED 


Onderdonk,  Andrew  (New  York  Tunnel  Company), 
Sub-sections  2  and  2A,  Bridge  Street,  Manhat- 
tan, to  Clinton  and  Joralemon  Streets,  Brooklyn. 

TRACK  AND  TRACK  MATERIAL 

American  Iron  &  Steel  Manufacturing  Company, 
Track  Bolts. 

Baxter  &  Company,  G.  S.,  Ties. 
Connecticut  Trap  Rock  Quarries,  Ballast. 
Dilworth,  Porter  &  Company,  Spikes. 

Holbrook,  Cabot  &  Rollins  (Holbrook,  Cabot  & 
Rollins  Corporation ),  Track  Laying,  City 
Hall  to  Broadway  and  42d  Street. 

Long  Clove  Trap  Rock  Company,  Ballast. 
Malleable  Iron  Fittings  Company,  Cup  Washers. 

Naughton  Company,  Track  Laying,  Underground 
Portion  of  Road  north  of  42d  Street  and 
Broadway. 

Pennsylvania  Steel  Company,  Running  Rails,  Angle 
Bars,  Tie  Plates  and  Guard  Rails. 

Ramapo  Iron  Works,  Frogs  and  Switches,  Filler 
Blocks  and  Washers. 

Sizer  &  Company,  Robert  R.,  Ties. 

Terry  &  Tench  Construction  Company  (Terry  & 
Tench  Company),  Timber  Decks  for  Viaduct 
Portions,  and  Laying  and  Surfacing  Track  on 
Viaduct  Portions. 

Weber  Railway  Joint  Manufacturing  Company, 
Weber  Rail  Joints. 

STATION  FINISH 

American  Mason  Safety  Tread  Company,  Safety 
Treads. 

Atlantic  Terra  Cotta  Company,  Terra  Cotta. 

Boote  Company,  Alfred,  Glazed  Tile  and  Art 
Ceramic  Tile. 

Byrne  &  Murphy,  Plumbing,  86th  Street  Station. 

Dowd  &  Maslen,  Brick  Work  for  City  Hall  and  other 
Stations  and  Superstructures  for  y2d  Street, 
lOjd  Street  and  Columbia  University  Stations. 

Empire  City  Marble  Company,  Marble. 
Grueby  Faience  Company,  Faience. 

Guastavino  Company,  Guastavino  Arch,  City  Hall 
Station. 

Hecla  Iron  Works,  Kiosks  and  Eight  Stations  on 
Elevated  Structure. 

Herring-Hall-Marvin  Safe  Company,  Safes. 


Holbrook,  Cabot  &  Rollins  Corporation,  Painting 
Stations. 

Howden  Tile  Company,  Glazed  Tile  and  Art 
Ceramic  Tile. 

Laheny  Company,  J.  K.,  Painting  Kiosks. 

Manhattan  Glass  Tile  Company,  Glass  Tile,  and 
Art  Ceramic  Tile. 

Parry,  John  H.,  Glass  Tile  and  Art  Ceramic  Tile. 

Pulsifer  &  Larson  Company,  Illuminated  Station 
Signs. 

Rookwood  Pottery  Company,  Faience 

Russell  &  Irwin  Manufacturing  Company,  Hardware 

Simmons  Company,  John,  Railings  and  Gates. 

Tracy  Plumbing  Company,  Plumbing. 

Tucker  &  Vinton,  Strap  Anchors  for  Kiosks. 

Turner  Construction  Company,  Stairways,  Platforms, 
and  Platform  Overhangs. 

Vulcanite  Paving  Company,  Granolithic  Floors. 

MISCELLANEOUS 

American  Bridge  Company,  Structural  Steel. 
American  Vitrified  Conduit  Company,  Ducts. 

Blanchite  Process  Paint  Company,  Plaster  Work 
and  Blanchite  Enamel  Finish  on  Tunnel  Side 
Walls. 

Brown  Hoisting  Machinery  Company,  Signal 
Houses  at  Four  Stations. 

Camp  Company,  H.  B.,  Ducts. 

Cunningham  &  Kearns,  Sewer  Construction,  Mul- 
berry Street,  East  loth  Street,  and  East  22d 
Street  Sewers. 

Fox  &  Company,  John,  Cast  Iron. 
McRoy  Clay  Works,  Ducts. 

Norton  &  Dalton,  Sewer  Construction,  I42d  Street 
Sewer. 

Onondaga  Vitrified  Brick  Company,  Ducts. 

Pilkington,  James,  Sewer  Construction,  Canal  Street 
and  Bleecker  Street  Sewers. 

Simmons  Company,  John,  Iron  Railings,  Viaduct 
Sections. 

Sicilian  Asphalt  Paving  Company,  Waterproofing. 

Tucker  &  Vinton,  Vault  Lights. 

United  Building  Material  Company,  Cement. 


SUB-CONTRACTORS 


CONTINUED 


Electrical   Department 
L.   B.  STILLWELL, Electrical   Director. 

Electric  plant  for  generation,  transmission,  conversion,  and  distribution  of  power,  third  rail  construction, 
electrical  car  equipment,  lighting  system,  fire  and  emergency  alarm  systems  : 


American  Steel  &  Wire  Company,  Cable. 

Bajohr,  Carl,  Lightning  Rods. 

Broderick  &  Company,  Contact  Shoes. 

Cambria  Steel  Company,  Contact  Rail. 

Columbia  Machine  Works  &  Malleable  Iron  Com- 
pany Contact  Shoes. 

Consolidated  Car  Heating  Company,  Car  Heaters. 

D.  &  W.  Fuse  Company,  Fuse  Boxes  and  Fuses. 

Electric  Storage  Battery  Company,  Storage  Battery 
Plant. 

Gamewell  Fire  Alarm  Telegraph  Company,  Fire 
and  Emergency  Alarm  Systems. 

General  Electric  Company,  Motors,  Power  House 
and  Sub-station  Switchboards,  Control  Appara- 
tus, Cable. 

General  Incandescent  Arc  Light  Company,  Passen- 
ger Station  Switchboards. 

India  Rubber  &  Gutta  Percha  Insulating  Company, 
Cables. 

Keasby  &  Mattison  Company,  Asbestos. 

Malleable  Iron  Fittings  Company,  Third  Rail  and 
other  Castings. 


Mayer  &  Englund  Company,  Rail   Bonds. 

Mitchell  Vance  Company,  Passenger  Station  Elec- 
tric Light  Fixtures. 

National  Conduit  &  Cable  Company,  Cables. 
National  Electric  Company,  Air  Compressors. 
Nernst  Lamp  Company,  Power  Station  Lighting. 
Okonite  Company,  Cables. 

Prometheus  Electric  Company,  Passenger  Station 
Heaters. 

J.  A.  Roebling's  Sons  Company,  J.  A.,  Cables. 

Reconstructed  Granite  Company,  Third  Rail  Insu- 
lators. 

Standard  Underground  Cable  Company,  Cables. 

Tucker  Electrical  Construction  Company,  Wiring 
for  Tunnel  and  Passenger  Station  Lights. 

Westinghouse  Electric  &  Manufacturing  Company, 
Alternators,  Exciters,  Transformers,  Motors, 
Converters,  Blower  Outfits. 

Westinghouse  Machine  Company,  Turbo  Alternat- 


ors. 


Mechanical  and  Architectural  Department 
JOHN  VAN  VLECK,     .     .     .      Mechanical  and  Construction  Engineer. 
Power  house  and  sub-station,  steam  plant,  repair  shop,  tunnel  drainage,  elevators. 


POWER   HOUSE 

Alberger  Condenser  Company,  Condensing  Equip- 
ment. 

Allis-Chalmers  Company,  Nine  8,000-1 1,000  H.  P. 
Engines. 

Alphons  Custodis  Chimney  Construction  Company, 
Chimneys. 

American  Bridge  Company,  Structural  Steel. 

Babcock  &  Wilcox  Company,  Fifty-two  600  H.  P. 
Boilers  and  Six  Superheaters. 

Burhorn,  Edwin,  Castings. 

Gibson  Iron  Works,  Thirty-six  Hand-fired  Grates. 
Manning,   Maxwell   &   Moore,  Electric  Traveling 
Cranes  and  Machine  Tools. 


Milliken  Brothers,  Ornamental  Chimney  Caps. 
Otis  Elevator  Company,  Freight  Elevator. 
Peirce,  John,  Power  House  Superstructure. 
Power  Specialty  Company,  Four  Superheaters. 

Ryan  &  Parker,  Foundation  Work  and  Condensing 
Water  Tunnels,  etc. 

Robins   Conveying   Belt  Company,  Coal  and   Ash 
Handling  Apparatus. 

Reese,    Jr.,   Company,    Thomas,    Coal     Downtake 
Apparatus,  Oil  Tanks,  etc. 

Riter-Conley  Manufacturing  Company,  Smoke  Flue 
System. 

Sturtevant  Company,  B.  F.,  Blower  Sets. 
Tucker  &  Vinton,  Concrete  Hot  Wells. 


SUB-CONTRACTORS 


CONTINUED 


Treadvvell  &  Company,  M.  H.,  Furnace  Castings, 
etc. 

Walworth  Manufacturing  Company,  Steam,  Water, 
and  Drip  Piping. 

Westinghouse,  Church,  Kerr  &  Company,  Three 
Turbo  Generator  Sets  and  Two  Exciter  En- 
gines. 

Westinghouse  Machine  Company,  Stokers. 
Wheeler  Condenser  Company,  Feed  Water  Heaters. 
Worthington,  Henry  R.,  Boiler  Feed  Pumps. 

SUB-STATIONS 

American   Bridge  Company,  Structural   Steel. 

Carlin  &  Company,  P.  J.,  Foundation  and  Super- 
structure, Sub-station  No.  15  (i4jd  Street). 

Cleveland  Crane  &  Car  Company,  Hand  Power 
Traveling  Cranes. 

Crow,  W.  L.,  Foundation  and  Superstructure  Sub- 
stations Nos.  17  and  18  (Fox  Street,  Hillside 
Avenue). 

Parker  Company,  John  H.,  Foundation  and  Super- 
structure Sub-stations  Nos.  11,  12,  13,  14,  and 
1 6  (City  Hall  Place,  E.  19*  Street,  W. 
Street,  W.  96th  Street,  W.  ij2d  Street). 


INSPECTION  SHED 

American  Bridge  Company,  Structural  Steel. 

Beggs  &  Company,  James,  Heating  Boilers. 

Elektron  Manufacturing  Company,  Freight  Eleva- 
tor. 

Farrell,  E.  J.,  Drainage  System. 

Hiscox  &  Company,  W7.  T.,  Steam  Heating  System. 

Leary  &  Curtis,  Transformer  House. 

Milliken  Brothers,  Structural  Steel  and  Iron  for 
Storehouse. 

Northern  Engineering  Works,  Electric  Telpherage 
System. 

O'Rourke,  John  F.,  Foundation  Work. 

Tucker  &  Vinton,  Superstructure  of  Reinforced 
Concrete. 

Tracy  Plumbing  Company,  Plumbing. 

Weber,  Hugh  L.,  Superstructure  of  Storehouse,  etc. 

SIGNAL  TOWERS 

Tucker  &  Vinton,  Reinforced  Concrete  Walls  for 
Eight  Signal  Towers. 

PASSENGER   ELEVATORS 

Otis  Elevator  Company,  Electric  Passenger  Eleva- 
tors for  i6yth  Street,  iSist  Street,  and  Mott 
Avenue  Stations,  and  Escalator  for  Manhattan 
Street  Station. 


Rolling    Stock    and  Signal  Department 

GEORGE  GIBBS, Consulting  Engineer. 

Cars,  Automatic  Signal   System. 


American  Car  &  Foundry  Company,  Steel  Car 
Bodies  and  Trailer  Trucks. 

Buffalo  Forge  Company,  Blacksmith  Shop  Equip- 
ment. 

Burnham,  Williams  &  Company  (Baldwin  Locomo- 
tive Works),  Motor  Trucks. 

Cambria  Steel  Company,  Trailer  Truck  Axles. 

Christensen  Engineering  Company,  Compressors, 
Governors,  and  Pump  Cages  on  Cars. 

Curtain  Supply  Company,  Car  Window  and  Door 
Curtains. 

Dressel  Railway  Lamp  Works,  Signal  Lamps. 

Hale  &  Kilburn  Manufacturing  Company,  Car  Seats 
and  Backs. 

Jewett  Car  Company,  Wooden  Car  Bodies. 

Manning,  Maxwell  &  Moore,  Machinery  and  Ma- 
chine Tools  for  Inspection  Shed. 

Metal  Plated  Car  &  Lumber  Company,  Copper 
Sheathing  for  Cars. 


Pitt  Car  Gate  Company,  Vestibule  Door  Operating 
Device  for  Cars. 

Pneumatic     Signal     Company,    Three     Mechanical 

Interlocking  Plants. 
Standard  Steel  Works,  Axles  and  Driving  Wheels 

for  Motor  and  Trailer  Trucks. 
St.  Louis  Car  Company,  Wooden  Car  Bodies  and 

Trailer  Trucks. 
Stephenson  Company,  John,  Wooden  Car   Bodies. 

Taylor    Iron    &    Steel    Company,  Trailer    Truck 

Wheels. 
Union   Switch   &   Signal    Company,   Block   Signal 

System    and    Interlocking   Switch   and    Signal 

Plants. 

Van  Dorn  Company,  W.  T.,  Car  Couplings. 
Wason     Manufacturing    Company,    Wooden     Car 

Bodies  and  Trailer  Trucks. 

Westinghouse  Air  Brake  Company,  Air  Brakes. 
Westinghouse  Traction  Brake  Company,  Air  Brakes. 


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